Juneberry Leaves, Woodland Walk, Philadelphia

Leaves of a juneberry bush, showing a pointed oval shape with very finely serrated edges, the bush on the left in a bed with ivy, and a brick path on the right.

Jun 17th, 2011, by Alex Zorach

This photo shows the leaves of a Juneberry (or serviceberry) plant, the same one in my photo of the ripe juneberries on the tree that I took a while before this one. The berry crop has since finished for the year. This bush is located at the southwest end of the Woodland Walk on the University of Pennsylvania's campus, in Philadelphia, right at the beginning (or end) of Baltimore avenue.

Learning to identify these bushes by sight is important, as the fruit is only available during a narrow window of time. If you can learn to recognize the characteristic leaves, shown here, you can then make a mental note that the plant is a Juneberry, and then return later at the time of year when the berries are ripe. You will not be disappointed: Juneberries are delicious!