Cherry plum
Prunus cerasifera
MediumSecondary
Production
A tough little pioneer plum that feeds early spring pollinators and doubles as common rootstock. It blooms so early frost often steals the fruit, and it self-seeds freely.
Tolerances & traits
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Loam, Sandy
- Soil pH range
- 6 – 7.8
- Min. temperature
- -30°C
- Min. rainfall
- 450 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- Medium
- Frost tolerance
- High
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Low
How to manage it
Tough, drought-hardy small tree with very early blossom for pollinators; widely used as plum rootstock and hedging. Prune lightly after fruiting to maintain shape.
Watch out for
Blooms extremely early so frost often takes the crop; self-seeds readily and can naturalise into thickets or hedgerows. Often grown as rootstock rather than for fruit quality.
Design your line to see how your land fits Cherry plum.
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