Nanking Cherry

Description:

This versatile tall and wide-spreading shrub is covered in showy light pink flowers in early spring before the leaves, followed by irresistably sweet bright red cherries, also interesting peeling reddish-brown bark; great as an accent or edible hedge

Ornamental Features:

Nanking Cherry is covered in stunning fragrant shell pink flowers along the branches in early spring, which emerge from distinctive pink flower buds before the leaves. It has forest green foliage throughout the season. The fuzzy pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy cherry red drupes carried in abundance in mid summer, which are excellent for making jams and jellies and wine-making. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit. The smooth brick red bark is not particularly outstanding.

Landscape Attributes:

Nanking Cherry is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Nanking Cherry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Plant Characteristics:

Nanking Cherry will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments.

This species is not originally from North America.