Chokeberry, This small native shrub is 3-6' tall; it branches readily and becomes bushy in appearance. The woody stems are brown to grey and become more rough or winkled with age. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and 2½" across; they are oval-ovate or obovate in shape, finely serrate or finely crenate along the margins, and hairless. The leaves are often broadest beyond the midpoint and they have short obtuse tips. The lower surface of each leaf is a lighter shade of green than the upper surface. The upper midvein of each leaf has tiny black glands that are best observed with a hand lens. At the base of each leaf, there is a slender petiole. The flowers develop from the upper and outer branches in compound cymes; each compound cyme has about 12 flowers, although their abundance varies. Each flower is about ½" across, consisting of 5 white rounded petals, a reddish green calyx with 5 short teeth, and about 16 stamens surrounding the styles in the center. The conspicuous anthers of the stamens are pink. While each flower is rather small, they are produced in abundance. The blooming period occurs during the late spring and lasts about 3 weeks. During late summer, each fertilized flower is replaced by a black leathery fruit containing several small seeds. This fruit is globoid and about 1/3" across. The mature fruits of Black Chokeberry are deciduous and fall to the ground within a short period of time. The deciduous leaves become bright yellow, orange, or red during the fall. The root system consists of a woody branching taproot. This species occasionally forms large colonies, but this is uncommon.