Prunus cerasifera
| Cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) | |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Prunus cerasifera |
| Common names | Cherry plum, myrobalan plum, purple-leaf plum |
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Genus | Prunus |
| Order | Rosales |
| Growth habit | Deciduous fruit-bearing tree |
Prunus cerasifera, commonly called cherry plum, is an accepted species in the rose family and a deciduous fruit-bearing tree.[1] Its native range extends from southeastern Europe through Central Asia and the Himalayas.[2] White flowers in spring are followed by smooth, cherry-like drupes that may be yellow or red and ripen in summer.[3]
Description[edit | edit source]
Cherry plum is a medium-sized deciduous tree with white spring flowers and round drupes up to about 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) across.[3] Fruit color varies between yellow and red forms. Ornamental selections, including purple-leaf forms, may produce little or no fruit, so a nursery name or leaf color alone does not establish a productive fruiting selection.[3]
Cultivation[edit | edit source]
Soil and water[edit | edit source]
Moist, well-drained soil is a practical baseline for cherry plum; drainage should be maintained rather than allowing the root zone to remain saturated.[4] A moisture-retentive soil with reliable drainage is preferable to either prolonged drought or stagnant wetness. The species' broad native range includes southeastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Himalayas, so local winter and summer conditions can alter its growth cycle.[2]
Sun and humidity[edit | edit source]
Full sun to partial shade is suitable for growth, while a sunny position is the better starting point when fruit production is the priority.[3][4] Avoid treating an ornamental purple-leaf selection as equivalent to a reliably fruiting tree: many ornamental cultivars bear little or no fruit.[3]
Seasonal changes[edit | edit source]
The tree is deciduous, flowers in spring, and fruits in mid to late summer.[3] One horticultural account places seed ripening in August–September, but timing varies with climate and selection.[4] As a practical implication of this cycle, maintain dependable moisture through spring flowering and summer fruit development, then adjust irrigation to the local cool-season leafless period rather than following a fixed calendar.
Propagation[edit | edit source]
Seed, grafting, stem cuttings, layering, and sucker division are all described as propagation routes for this species.[3][4] Seed may germinate slowly; a cold-stratification period of about two to three months is described for seed, but that schedule is a practical account rather than a demonstrated universal requirement.[4]
Flowering, fruiting, and harvest[edit | edit source]
The flowers are described as hermaphroditic and bee-pollinated.[4] Compatibility among cherry-plum and related plum material is less thoroughly documented than in some other cultivated plums, so self-compatibility or a required pollinizer should not be assumed without selection-specific evidence.[5] Smooth, round fruit is reported to ripen in mid to late summer, with yellow and red forms both described.[3]
Fruit and uses[edit | edit source]
Cherry plum produces fleshy, cherry-like drupes, but fruit size, color, and crop abundance vary among forms; ornamental cultivars may fruit sparsely or not at all.[3] The pits contain cyanogenic compounds and present greater risk when crushed or when the seed is chewed. Do not blend the fruit with its pits; remove pits before processing.[3]
Growing record[edit | edit source]
A Reddit owner report from the United Kingdom describes an established cherry plum whose fruit withered before filling and whose leaves and smaller twigs were wilting or falling. The report mentions a few aphids but does not establish a diagnosis or cause, so it is an individual failure observation rather than a general disease or treatment rule.[6]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ [3] Prunus cerasifera (Cherry Plum, Mirabelle, Myrobalan Plum, Newport Cherry Plum, Purple Leaf Plum) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
- ↑ [4] Prunus cerasifera Cherry Plum, Myrobalan Plum, Newport Cherry Plum, Pissard Plum | Plants For A Future.