Although the aronia family is small in number, their benefits are numerous. Commonly called Red Chokeberry, aronia arbutifolia is native to the Eastern United States. Aronia arbutifolia is tolerant of sun and shade, but when planted in deep shade can become leggy in appearance. ‘Brilliantissima’, a cultivar, typically grows slowly to 6-8′ tall and is perhaps most noted for its attractive glossy red berries and red fall foliage color. Blossoming with a display of small clusters of white flowers in the spring and then deep red berries in the autumn, providing an excellent food source for wildlife and birds. Its bark is reddish brown bark when young, changing to grayish-brown with age.

The berries, having extremely high levels of vitamin C and other antioxidants, have attracted a lot of attention in recent years. Aronia juice is now commonly found in health food stores, either plain or mixed with sweeter juices to relieve the astringency that gave the berry its name. The berries can also be used to make jam, jelly, wine, syrup, and many other foods. Red chokeberry is a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with several seasons of interest and deserves greater use in the garden.