General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 3 -40 °C (-40 °F) to -37.2 °C (-35)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 7b
Plant Height: 8 to 10 feet
Plant Spread: 10 to 15 feet
Leaves: Deciduous
Fruit: Showy
Edible to birds
Fruiting Time: Summer
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Blooms on old wood
Flower Color: Pink
Flower Time: Spring
Other: usually blooms in April
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Edible Parts: Fruit
Eating Methods: Raw
Cooked
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Will not come true from seed
Propagation: Other methods: Other: Dividing the crown or rooting suckers.
Pollinators: Various insects
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Nanking Bush Cherry
  • Nanking Cherry
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Prunus tomentosa
  • Synonym: Cerasus tomentosa

Photo Gallery
Location: Tabby's Garden
Date: march 24 2012
Blooming at least a month earlier than normal
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2022-05-17
Location: My Garden, Utah
Date: 2015-03-15
Location: my garden, UT
Date: 2016-03-22

Date: 2016-10-06
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2022-04-30
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Date: summer in 1980's
full-grown shrub
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Date: spring in 1980's
shrub in bloom
Location: my garden
Date: 2013-07-15 
first yr planted - 2nd and  3rd from the end isle 2
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2022-05-14
Nanking Bush Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) is setting the fruit.
Location: My garden in N E Pa. 
Date: 2019-06-06
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2022-05-17
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Date: summer in 1980's
summer foliage
Uploaded by Newyorkrita
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2022-04-30
Location: indoors Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2021-01-06
Nanking Bush Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) seeds.
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-11-04
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-04-11
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-04-14
Location: Long Island, NY 
Date: 2013-04-14
Comments:
  • Posted by Newyorkrita (North Shore, Long Island, NY ) on Oct 30, 2013 4:46 PM concerning plant:
    Mine has gotten large over the years. About early to mid April it bursts out in full bloom. Covered in small while to pinkish white flowers. Unfortunately those flowers only last a few days till they drop. Still, very pretty in full bloom.
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Jul 31, 2018 8:30 PM concerning plant:
    This large shrub from east Asia used to be offered at some diverse, larger conventional nurseries in the Midwest. It was never really common, just occasional. I found some planted on the west side of Aurora, Illinois, west of Chicago, in a well-to-do neighbourhood. It looks nice, but I have never been thrilled with it. It grows in a rounded form to about 10 feet high and to 15 feet wide. It has very hairy twigs and leaves. It bears some red berries that are edible for humans that mature in June-July. It only shows a poor yellow-green autumn colour.

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