47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

2026-09-27T10:03:59Z

Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

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{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Nanking Cherry (''Prunus tomentosa'')
|-
! Common names
| Downy cherry; Nanking cherry; Manchu cherry
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Prunus tomentosa''
|-
! Genus
| [[Prunus]]
|-
! Family
| [[Rosaceae]]
|-
! Order
| [[Rosales]]
|-
! Habit
| Deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree
|-
! Mature size
| About 7–10 ft (2.1–3 m) in horticultural descriptions
|-
! Native range
| China, Japan, the Russian Far East, and the Caucasus
|-
! Flowers
| White to pink flowers in spring
|-
! Fruit
| Small red edible cherries, ripening in early to mid-summer
|-
! Sun
| Full sun to partial shade
|-
! Soil
| Moist to average, well-drained soil
|-
! Years to fruit
| Commonly 3–4 years, with variation by plant and conditions
|}

''Prunus tomentosa'' is a deciduous Asian shrub or small tree commonly grown as Nanking cherry, Downy cherry, or Manchu cherry. The species is accepted in the genus ''Prunus'' and family Rosaceae.[[#cite_note-1|[1]]] It produces white to pink flowers in spring and small red fruit in early to mid-summer.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

== Description ==

Nanking cherry is usually multi-stemmed, with hairy foliage and a mature size described in horticultural references as roughly 7–10 ft (2.1–3 m), although seedlings vary in both plant and fruit traits.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The fruit is red, about one-third of an inch across in one regional description, and ripens around June and July.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] NDSU describes the plant as winter-hardy and moderately fast-growing and lists it for hardiness Zone 2; hardiness performance still depends on the local climate and site.[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]

Its native range includes China, Japan, the Russian Far East, and the Caucasus.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The plant is deciduous, with flowering in spring and fruiting in summer; cultivation should accommodate a leafless winter phase.

== Cultivation ==

=== Soil and water ===

Choose a site with well-drained soil that can remain moderately moist during establishment. The species is described for average to moist soils.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Established plants tolerate drought, so irrigation can be reduced after the root system is developed while newly planted shrubs receive more consistent moisture.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

Seed-grown plants are reported to develop a deep taproot.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Siting a seedling with its eventual root system in mind and minimizing repeated disturbance is a reasonable taproot-based inference, not a documented transplant trial.

=== Sun and humidity ===

Full sun is the strongest general placement, although partial shade is also listed as acceptable.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] In climates with hot, humid summers, performance can be poor; a site with good light and soil drainage is a more defensible starting point than a wet, heat-trapping position.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] NDSU also describes the plant as winter-hardy, but a cold-climate hardiness listing should not be treated as a promise of equal performance in hot summer climates.[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]

=== Seasonal changes ===

Treat the plant as deciduous. Maintain even moisture while it is establishing and during active spring and early-summer growth, then take advantage of its established-plant drought tolerance as the season progresses.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Flowers appear in spring and the red crop generally ripens in early to mid-summer, with June–July given for one regional description.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Pruning is best planned for late winter, before the new season's growth; the practical pruning guidance emphasizes renewing older canes rather than shearing the shrub indiscriminately.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Propagation ==

Seed propagation is documented. For the moist-cold treatment described in the Utah guidance, keep seed moist at 32–45 °F (0–7 °C) for about 100 days before sowing; this is a procedure for preparing a seed lot, not a guaranteed germination result for every batch.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Seedlings vary in fruit and plant characteristics, so seed is useful for raising plants but not for preserving a named fruit type reliably.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

Stem cuttings are also listed as an option.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The packet does not establish a single best cutting season, rooting medium, or percentage success, so those details should be treated as propagation variables rather than fixed species requirements.

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

White to pink flowers open in spring, followed by red fruit that ripens in early to mid-summer.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Cross-pollination is recommended: the Utah guidance calls for two or more plants, so a single shrub should not be assumed to crop as reliably as a compatible planting.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

Production commonly begins in years 3–4, with timing affected by seedling variation, plant size, maturity, and growing conditions.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Reported seasonal yields range from about 15–50 lb as plant size and maturity increase, but that range is a production observation rather than a guaranteed yield for every shrub.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Use the soft fruit promptly because it has a short shelf life.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

Late-winter pruning guidance recommends retaining productive younger wood and removing roughly 3–5 old canes as needed to renew a multi-stemmed plant.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Fruit and uses ==

The red cherries are tart and edible. Uses include fresh eating, jams, jellies, pies, preserves, juice, and wine.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Their short shelf life makes immediate processing, freezing, or rapid use more practical than long fresh storage.[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]

== Pests and diseases ==

Reported problems include borers, brown rot, and branch cankers.[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

== Cultivars and forms ==

Seedlings vary in fruit and plant traits. A white-fruited form marketed as ''Leucocarpa'' is listed for this species; the market description provides no basis for claims about its propagation history, performance, or fruit quality beyond its color category.[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]

== References ==

* [[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/match?name=Prunus%20tomentosa GBIF species match: Prunus tomentosa].

* [[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-tomentosa/ Prunus tomentosa (Downy Cherry, Nanking Cherry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox].

* [[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/nanking-cherry-in-the-garden How to Grow Nanking Cherries in Your Garden | Utah State University Extension].

* [[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/extension/publications/nanking-cherry Nanking Cherry | NDSU Agriculture].

[[Category:Fruit trees]]
[[Category:Prunus]]

Prunus tomentosa - Revision history

47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance