Database

Prunus besseyi

Fruit: Cherry

Upright, sprawling, ornamental, very hardy shrub. Showy, white spring blooms before silvery-green, pointy foliage that turns into an attractive orange-red to burgundy in fall. Small, dark-purple, tart berries ripen in summer. Fruit can be used for jams but shrub is mostly used as a plum pollinator for mid and late-blooming plums or as a showy, spring accent shrub. Attracts birds. Needs well-drained soil and does well in hot, dry areas; drought tolerant once established. Fertilize in spring with a good compost or an all-purpose fertilizer before new growth emerges. For major pruning wait until late winter while shrub is dormant; suckers or dead, broken, and diseased branches, can be removed anytime.

Self-pollinating: plant in pairs for best fruit yield. Is used as a plum pollinator for mid-season blooming plums (Opata Chery-Plum, Tecumseh Plum) and late-season blooming plums (Brookred Plum, Pembina Plum).

Available in select potted sizes.