Amelanchier Robin Hill Trees

• Variety: Robin Hill, the Amelanchier with pink buds
• Common name: Robin Hill Serviceberry, Juneberry
• Latin name: Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Robin Hill'
• Sold as: Bareroot standards of 6/8cm and 8/10cm girth. Pot-grown in a 10 litre pot, at 175/200cm and 200/250cm
• Mature size: 4 to 8m tall and wide, over 10 to 20 years
• Flowers: Pale pink from pink buds, fading to white, in April
• Berries: Dark purple and edible, in summer
• Leaves: Bronze as they open, green in summer, orange and red in autumn
• Shape: Dense and upright, spreading with age
• Best soil and site: Moist, well-drained, lime-free soil, acid or neutral. Sun or partial shade, with full sun for the best autumn colour
• Hardiness: H7, hardy in the severest British winter
• RHS AGM: Yes (2012)
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Pot-grown, all year when in stock. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Robin Hill is a small, upright Amelanchier whose pink buds open to pale pink flowers in April and fade to white, followed by edible dark purple berries and orange and red autumn leaves. It grows 4 to 8 metres tall in moist, lime-free soil, and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Amelanchier Robin Hill Trees

Amelanchier Robin Hill is small, fairly upright and graceful, with year round ornamental interest. The pink buds and young flowers open in April when the leaves are barely breaking, completely filling the tree with a cloud of flowers. The petals turn from pink to white as they mature. The young leaves are flushed with a bronze tone that fades to a rich green by summer. By August, the flowers ripen into a modest quantity of edible, deep red berries, about a centimetre across (all Amelanchiers are self-fertile, so you only need one tree). They look and taste a little like blueberries, are a good source of iron and can be dried, but you have to get them before the birds do. The fiery Autumn display is superb, and in winter, the slender branches look lovely against a cold steel sky.

Grown with a straight trunk, it can reach 4 to 8 metres.

Browse all of our ornamental & garden trees, or our other trees for small gardens.

Growing Amelanchier Robin Hill

An undemanding tree that only needs decent drainage and a neutral to mildly acidic soil pH. The spreading, shallow fibrous roots are great for holding loose soil in place on a mound or bank, or thin topsoils on rocky locations. It's hardy, wind resistant, and suitable for coastal gardens. It benefits from a mulch in late spring / early summer.

It has a suckering habit that will tend to turn it into a large shrub over time if they're not removed.

History & Trivia

It was bred at the Robin Hill Arboretum & Nature Preserve in New York State during the 1960's from Amelanchier arborea and A. laevis, and was previously classified as the former.

Standard trees are measured by their girth in centimetres 1 metre above ground level: their trunk's waist measurement. Unlike sapling trees and hedge plants, standards aren't measured by their height, which will vary quite a bit both between and within species.
So, a 6/8cm standard tree has a trunk with a circumference of 6-8cm and an 8/10 standard has a trunk 8-10cm around. This measurement makes no difference to the tree's final height.
On average, standard trees are 2-3.5 metres tall when they arrive, but we cannot tell you precisely how tall your trees will be before we deliver them.

Planting Companions

Ballerina is the other Amelanchier cultivar here, white-flowered and bushier where Robin Hill is pink and upright. For the same four seasons of interest from a small tree, look at the Crab Apples and, for berries and autumn colour, the Rowans and Whitebeams. Dust bareroot roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Ashridge?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Amelanchier comes bareroot, lifted while dormant, or pot-grown for planting in any month. Bareroot trees are guaranteed for 12 months, and so is a potted tree delivered leafless between November and March.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does Amelanchier Robin Hill grow?

The RHS gives it 4 to 8 metres in both height and spread, reached over 10 to 20 years. It starts dense and upright and spreads as it ages.

Can you eat Amelanchier berries?

Yes. The RHS lists the dark purple berries as edible, though it is grown as an ornamental and not for a crop, and the birds usually get there before you do.

Will Robin Hill grow on chalk?

No. The RHS asks for moist, lime-free, well-drained soil, acid or neutral. On thin chalk choose a Crab Apple or a Rowan in its place.

Does it need full sun?

It grows in sun or partial shade. The RHS notes that you get the best autumn colour in full sun, so give it an open spot if the October display matters to you.

Is Robin Hill a good tree for a small garden?

Yes. The RHS lists it for city and courtyard gardens, and one tree gives you blossom, berries, autumn colour and a good winter outline.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot trees are delivered from November to April, while they are dormant. Pot-grown trees can be delivered and planted in any month when you find them in stock.