While as a gardener you are quickly spoiled for choice when choosing plants for sunny garden beds, shady garden areas are a challenge that must be taken seriously. The extremely robust rock pear can also demonstrate its advantages in the shade when it is not completely dark.
Does the rock pear thrive in the shade?
The serviceberry can also grow in the shade, but it affects flower formation, growth and susceptibility to disease. For optimal conditions, it should be planted in a sunny to partially shaded location with well-drained soil.
The rock pear can also cope with restrictions
Nowadays, the serviceberry is generally no longer planted in private gardens and parks because of its edible fruits, but rather because of the wonderful autumn color of the leaves. Although the rock pear only shows its full beauty in sunny to partially shaded locations, it can still grow in relatively strong shade. However, in particularly shady locations, a rock pear produces significantly fewer flowers than in a location in full sun. The incidence of light at the location of the rock pear also influences the following factors:
- Time of flowering
- Growth
- Susceptibility to disease
Pay particular attention to care in the shade
Rock pears are actually very undemanding when it comes to care. However, if you are cultivating this plant in a very shady location, then you should definitely ensure that the soil substrate is not permanently moist. In addition, the plant should be cut into a bush or obelisk in a shady location so that fungal infestation such as mildew has no chance.
First grow young plants in the bucket
A serviceberry should, if possible, not be planted too young in a very shady location. You can give your serviceberry some “jump-start” if you let it grow in a pot in a sunny location for a few years. If the rock pear is then planted in its final location with a certain size, it usually copes better with the sparse sunlight.
Tip
Even in the shade of buildings and tall trees, the rock pear can usually be used as a natural privacy screen with additional benefits for various animal species.
