Q: My serviceberry tree has a single trunk and is twelve feet tall but it wants to be shrubby. Every couple of weeks I cut off shoots that come from the base of the trunk. What is the best way to keep it a tree?

A: There are several species of serviceberry. Amelanchier laevis, A. alnifolia , and A. canadensis are the most common. They differ in form but most species and cultivars could be described as shrubby trees. It’s simply their nature. If that’s the form yours wants to assume, you’ll just have to get used to occasional pruning. Enjoy the fruit each spring!