Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Here you will find answers to many questions about our aronia products, the aronia plants and your aronia order.
Questions about aronia products
The aronia berry, also known as chokeberry or black mountain ash, is a small berry that was originally native to the forests of North America. Even then, the indigenous people valued the berry for its special ingredients and used it, especially with fat, as a warming and fortifying winter snack. Berries and leaves were also used to feed their horses and to treat external injuries and inflammations. The aronia berry was first brought to Europe around 1900. It was first cultivated in Russia and from the 1970s onwards in other Eastern European countries.
Why was the berry able to survive even in distant Siberia? Thanks to its special properties, it can even withstand extreme temperatures of up to -35 degrees Celsius. The first cultivation trials in the former GDR also began in the mid-1970s. Saxony is the cradle of the German aronia berry, so to speak, and it is certainly no coincidence that we at Aronia ORIGINAL are based here. From here, plantations based on the Saxon model were cultivated in numerous regions. In this country, the berry is particularly appreciated for its unique taste. For example, it is ideal for making juice, jam or as an ingredient in smoothies.
Find the ideal amount of juice for you. We recommend drinking about 100 ml of aronia juice once a day after a meal or in the late afternoon. The juice can be consumed pure or diluted 1:1 or 1:2 with good water or mixed with other juices. The ideal amount of other aronia products that you should consume daily is 1-2 tablespoons of dried aronia berries or 1 tablespoon of aronia powder.
Aronia juice in the bottle: Keep the bottles in the fridge after opening and consume the juice within 10 days if possible.
Incidentally, mother juice should be protected from light and air to ensure the highest possible quality. We have had special light-protecting amber glass bottles developed for our 0.7 liter direct juices. The screw cap is provided with a so-called lid head scoring. If the contents should unexpectedly start to ferment, the pressure escapes through a membrane in the lid. The risk of burst glass bottles is reduced and you can tell immediately from the bulging lid if something is wrong.
Aronia juice in 3-liter or 5-liter juice packs: Don’t be afraid of large quantities! In the practical juice pack with vacuum tap, the 100% direct juice can be kept unrefrigerated for three months. The box contains instructions on how to open the box correctly.
Important: When open, do not turn the carton backwards or upwards – air could possibly get in and impair the juice quality. Bottling also affects the shelf life. Incidentally, the 3 liter pack is ideal as a monthly ration for 100 ml of aronia berry juice daily.
Tip: when the inner bag is almost empty, the carton should be tilted slightly towards the tap. This prevents air from entering the bag when there is only a little juice left in the bag.
This is a question of quality: is the juice a direct juice or is it aronia juice made from fruit juice concentrate? Does the aronia juice come from the first pressing? How high is the proportion of aronia juice in mixed juices? Are organic aronia berries used? Where do the berries come from? Are they sourced directly from the grower or from the retail market? Where is it pressed and bottled? All these considerations and many more play a key role in pricing.
With the aronia juices from Aronia ORIGINAL you can be sure: 100% direct juices in mother juice quality from organic aronia berries sourced directly from German, Austrian or Polish organic growers, pressed and bottled in experienced juice presses. You can find out more at www.verantwortungsbewusst-wachsen.de
Yes, all our currently available Aronia ORIGINAL products are certified organic. We provide proof of our organic products by listing the organic inspection body number as required by the authorities and by displaying the EU organic logo on the packaging.
But the organic label alone is not enough for us. Due to various food scandals in the past, some of which unfortunately also involved organic producers, we want to offer you quality with safety.
You will find the neuform quality logo next to the EU organic logo on Aronia ORIGINAL products. This seal was created over 80 years ago by the Reformhaus® association, of which Aronia ORIGINAL has been a contractual partner since 2014, and has been continuously developed further. The Reformhaus® describes the standards for products with neuform quality as follows:
Natural: only selected raw materials from assured origin
Unadulterated: only gently processed natural products without artificial additives
Safe: only laboratory-tested, high-quality products
Respectful: only ethically sound origin
Caring: only the best advice from friendly specialist staff
It is important to us that we can implement concrete standards here that also correspond to our corporate values.
The Aronia ORIGINAL core range, consisting of organic aronia berry juice, dried organic aronia berries and organic aronia berry powder is completely free from added sugar or sweeteners and contains only the natural fructose of the aronia berry.
For the most part, we do not use granulated sugar in our products. If sweetening seems necessary, we use alternative sweeteners such as rice syrup (e.g. for our Organic Aronia Crunchy), agave syrup (e.g. for our Organic Aronia Berry Fruit Spread) or grape juice concentrate (e.g. for our Organic Aronia Berry Jam Extra). Exceptions are the organic aronia berries in dark chocolate, the organic aronia mulled wine and the organic aronia mulled wine spread: here raw cane sugar is used for sweetening.
Many of our Aronia ORIGINAL products are now vegan. Please look out for the Vegan Society’s Vegan Flower label. All products bearing the vegan flower on the label are vegan. No animal substances were used in the list of ingredients, in the manufacturing process or in the packaging material.
Questions about aronia plants
The climate in northern and central Europe offers optimal conditions for the aronia berry. The chokeberry can also acclimatize to harsh and cold weather. On the other hand, a dry Mediterranean climate is unfavorable. Cultivation here is only possible with a great deal of effort and care, as the soil should have a solid basic moisture content. It is also possible to grow aronia bushes at altitudes of up to 1000 meters.
From flowering to harvest: how does the chokeberry behave throughout the year?
The first leaves sprout on the aronia plant from March. At the end of April to May, the chokeberry displays its white blossom splendor. The many small flower umbels delight garden lovers and bees alike. The first berries ripen from August to mid-September, depending on the weather. The variety is just as important for the yield: Aronia Nero Superberry is a good choice for a solid yield. From October, the leaves turn a bright red and adorn the autumn garden. After shedding its leaves, the aronia plant overwinters at temperatures as low as -35°C.
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Which location should I choose for chokeberry plants?
A sunny, bright planting site is ideal. Light and summer warmth support the sprouting of new branches and the formation of fructose in the aronia berries. Partial shade is also possible, although growth may be somewhat slower here. The chokeberry can cope well with the weather. Avoid planting too close to walls and planting under trees.Aronia bushes develop strong roots with strong side shoots over the years. A root depth of up to 2.00 m can also be achieved.
The ideal soil conditions for aronia plants
In principle, aronia plants can adapt to different soil conditions. Mixed soils of sand and clay are ideal. Consistent soil moisture can also have a beneficial effect. Soil conditions that are too dry or very calcareous are unfavorable. Pure clay or sandy soils impede (inhibit) the growth of the plant.When is the optimum planting time?
Aronia plants can be planted in the ground in spring – preferably before the flowering period in May – or in the fall. It is important that the soil is frost-free. September to early December is ideal. The chokeberry can acclimatize to its new location over the winter months and sprout vigorously in spring.We have summarized everything you need to know in our planting and care instructions for potted plants and bare-root aronia plants. Just go to the Aronia plants advice subpage.
That depends on how you want to integrate your chokeberry into the garden. As a crop plant for a rich harvest, as an ornamental plant or as a hedge – both are possible.
The chokeberry is ideally suited as a solitary crop. The distance here should be at least 0.80 m to 1.20 m. Tip: Choose a more generous clearance. This makes it all the easier for you to pick the aronia berries later.
For an aronia hedge, we recommend a gap of 0.40 m to 0.60 m. Depending on how opaque you want the hedge to be. Note that aronia bushes lose their leaves in late fall.
Is it possible to plant chokeberries in a tub on a balcony or terrace?
Of course! A pot made of ceramic or clay with a size of 20 liters or more is best, as the chokeberry has strong, sturdy roots. Correct watering is particularly important here. Avoid waterlogging. Fertilize only when necessary. Always choose a sunny location.
Pruning aronia plants
When we deliver our aronia plants to you, no pruning is necessary. It is advisable to prune in the first and second year after planting so that the chokeberry can sprout vigorously. Later, the pruning effort remains low thanks to the even, calm growth. To rejuvenate or thin out the shrub, individual shoots on the ground can be pruned.
Tip: Always prune plants in late fall during the leafless period. This allows the chokeberry to sprout vigorously in spring. In the summer months, mark the shoots that you want to cut off due to low foliage or cone formation.
How to water and fertilize correctly
As a general rule, chokeberries should be watered sufficiently during hot periods. Take care to avoid waterlogging. Sandy soil dries out quickly, but is loose and permeable. Loamy soil is prone to waterlogging and lack of air.
Aronia plants are very frugal. Only fertilize with organic fertilizer, such as Bokashi+400, if necessary. You should be careful with compost or manure. Both can contain lime, which has a rather unfavorable effect. Bark mulch is also not advisable as it can remove nitrogen from the soil. A good alternative is to add humus.
How can I recognize a lack of nutrients or water?
A lack of nutrients first becomes apparent on the plant’s foliage: the leaves lack the lush, rich green. They are pale, light green to yellowish. The chokeberry appears weak and feeble.
If there is a lack of water, the plant will not develop or will shed all subordinate parts such as flowers, umbels or berries. The leaves are also affected: they turn color too early and fall off.
I have no harvest: what could be the reason?
Even though aronia plants are very robust, it can happen that the harvest is very small or fails completely. The following factors could be the reason:
- the wrong location – too little or no sun at all
- the weather – lots of rain + cold year
- the soil – too sandy or too loamy
- Lack of nutrients (or too much fertilizer)
- the variety of chokeberry
August to September is harvest time for the aronia berry. The exact time depends on the altitude, weather conditions and the number of hours of sunshine.
How can I tell if the aronia berries are ripe? A simple test – pick one or two berries from each of several umbels and cut them in half with a sharp knife. When the berry is dark purple through to the middle, it is ideally ripe.
Help! The birds are eating my ripe aronia berries!
Birds, especially blackbirds and starlings, are real chokeberry gourmets. As soon as the first birds peck at your chokeberries, you can be sure: The aronia berries have reached optimum ripeness.
Tip: Protect the plant with a bird net, for example. It is important that it is stretched to the ground so that the animals do not get caught and injured. Wooden stakes are a good choice for creating additional space between the net and the shrub. Then the dark fruits remain out of reach for the animal visitors.
Some of our customers are concerned that fresh aronia berries contain a not inconsiderable amount of bound hydrocyanic acid (cyanide). This is released when aronia berries are eaten fresh, which is why the dark fruits are not suitable for immediate consumption.
Here is an all-clear: cyanide is only contained in the small seeds of aronia berries. In order to release these, a large number of them would have to be finely ground in the mouth. The hydrocyanic acid is broken down by heat treatment, e.g. in the production of juice or jam. According to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the daily limit is 75 micrograms of hydrogen cyanide per kilogram of body weight (ARfD). This means that an adult weighing 70 kg can consume up to 5.25 mg of cyanide per day without adverse health effects.
The seeds of 100 g of fresh aronia berries contain around 0.6 to 1.2 mg of bound hydrocyanic acid. A 70 kg adult could therefore consume between 438 g and 875 g of fresh aronia berries per day (and chew the small seeds finely) without the prussic acid content being a cause for concern.
For comparison: The cyanide content of sweet apricot kernels, which are offered as a snack in many places, is on average 2.4 mg per 100 g(source: Max Rubner Institute)
So can I eat fresh berries?
But yes! Fresh aronia berries can be eaten straight from the bush by young and old. Eaten fresh in small quantities, mixed in a smoothie, made into homemade jam or used as an ingredient in sweet cakes and desserts or savory sauces and chutneys – fresh aronia berries can be used in a variety of creative ways in the kitchen.
The high proportion of dark plant dyes conjures up a bright purple color in the food. The taste of fresh aronia berries is tart and tangy, making them ideal for both sweet and savory preparations.
Aronia plants can live for between 35 and 50 years. An impressive age for a fruiting plant! In Siberia there are plants that are said to have lived to be around 60 years old.
A vigorous plant, such as the Aronia Nero Superberry variety, can regularly bear berries for 25 to 30 years.
How old are the plants offered in the Aronia ORIGINAL Shop? The bare-rooted plants are about two years old and around 30 to 40 cm high. Aronia ORIGINAL ships the potted plants at an age of three to 3.5 years and a size of 60 to 80 cm.
Questions about ordering aronia
You can also shop in the Aronia ORIGINAL Shop as a so-called “guest customer”. This means that only the necessary billing and delivery address will be stored in connection with your order. If you shop frequently at Aronia ORIGINAL, you will have to enter this data again and again.
If you create a customer account (free of charge and without obligation), our online store “remembers” your data. Setting up a customer account is very simple. If you check the option “Yes, I would like to open a customer account for the Aronia ORIGINAL Shop” during the check-out process and set a password, a customer account will be created for you.
Your advantage: You can order faster the next time you shop and always have an overview of your orders and the shipping status. You also have the option of ordering our juice subscription.
You can buy Aronia ORIGINAL products conveniently in our online store. Various payment methods are available to you. We currently offer the following payment methods: Prepayment, instant bank transfer, direct debit, Paypal (credit cards + account deposits) and purchase on account (via Paypal Plus – credit check is carried out).
This depends on where you are ordering from. For shipments within Germany, the shipping costs are 4.95 euros – from 35 euros we deliver free of charge! If you order from abroad, Aronia ORIGINAL charges shipping costs of between 6.90 euros and 19.90 euros – depending on the value of the goods and the country. The exact shipping costs will be displayed during the ordering process.
The procedure is kept as simple as possible. Follow the steps below:
You buy as before in the Aronia ORIGINAL Shop.
Then enter the discount code or voucher code in the shopping cart under “Voucher code / discount” and click on “Redeem“. The discount will be automatically credited to your order.
Forgot to redeem the voucher in the shopping cart? You will also find a link field for the voucher code at the checkout (this is the area where you enter your address details). Click on the link next to the question: Do you have a voucher?
Important: Please only enter the code once (either in the shopping cart or at checkout), otherwise you will “remove” the code with the second entry.
The voucher code does not work in the online store!
Note: You must enter the voucher code that you have received by post or email without “quotation marks”. Please also make sure that you click on the “Apply voucher” button, this is necessary for activation.
Please also check the duration of the voucher. Once the voucher has expired, it can no longer be redeemed. In case of doubt, please contact our customer service and call us on the Aronia hotline Mon-Fri from 08:00 to 16:30. Phone number: +49 (0) 351 896 659 0 (6 cents / min from a German landline, mobile rates may vary). Please have your order number ready (you will find this in the order receipt e-mail or on your delivery bill / invoice).
If you place an order in our online store, you will receive a notification to your e-mail address that you have stored in the store after successful completion. If you do not receive a message, there may be various reasons for this:
a) Have you entered your e-mail address correctly? Sometimes typos creep in, e.g. “@T-Onilne.de” instead of “T-Online.de”. If you realize that you have entered an incorrect address, please contact us and we will correct the address and send you the confirmation again.
b) Have you checked your spam folder? It can happen that the order confirmation ends up in the “unknown folder” or “spam folder” with some (free) mailers. Please move the e-mail to your mailbox and mark it as “no spam” if necessary – so that future e-mails do not end up in the wrong folder again.
For data protection reasons, Aronia ORIGINAL does not have access to the passwords of customer accounts. The passwords are stored in encrypted form in the store database. Our employees do not have access to this database.
However, you can simply have a new password sent to you. Click on “Shop” in the menu and then on the subpage “Your customer account”. There you will find the link “Forgot your password?” below the login window. Simply follow the instructions and you will receive a new password by e-mail (if no e-mail arrives, please check your SPAM folder).
If you have discovered a defect when unpacking your Aronia ORIGINAL products after purchase, please contact us online using the complaints form or alternatively by calling the Aronia ORIGINAL hotline on: +49 (0) 351 896 659 0. Please let us know where and when you purchased the product. State your customer number if you have ordered via the Aronia ORIGINAL Online Shop, as well as your contact details.
Please have the packaging of the damaged or spoiled goods ready. We will ask you for the product name, weight, batch number and / or the best-before date of the affected product. With this information you support our quality assurance.
If you wish to complain about the quality of the product, please save this until further notice, if possible. Send us a photo if the defect is visible (e.g. broken glass, burst juice pack, etc.).
Our customer service team will get in touch with you as soon as possible. Together we will find a solution!
