I finally found the Purple Chokeberry, Aronia x prunifolia, shrub while I was visiting my native Chicago area. Some were planted at Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL in the Rare Illinois Plant Collection on the east side and at a site nearby with utlilites. This shrub is a natural hybrid of the Red X Black chokeberry shrubs and it not well known and is sort of rare. Both the Black and Purple Chokeberry bear fruit that is somewhat tart but edible for mankind and birds. Some cultivars as 'Viking' have been selected for fruit production for juice and jams and are very healthy with lots of anti-oxidants, even more than blueberries. I also love Chokeberry shrubs as ornamentals for pretty foliage, fall color, and white flowers. Here are some photos I took this mid-August 2014 of the Purple species.
