Cherry
Prunus cerasifera
Rosaceae · broadleaf deciduous tree · introduced
Last updated
Data Coverage 3 of 6 dimensions
Prunus cerasifera (Rosaceae) is a deciduous tree native to the Caucasus and western Asia. It grows 25 to 30 feet tall with a rounded crown. The species is most commonly planted in its purple-leaved cultivars, which produce pink to white flowers in early spring before the dark foliage emerges. Small red to purple plums follow but are typically sparse.
Cherry plum grows in full sun on well-drained soil. 'Thundercloud' and 'Krauter Vesuvius' (deep purple foliage, pink flowers) are the most widely planted cultivars. The fruit is edible but variable in quality. The species is used as a rootstock for other Prunus species. Disease susceptibility is similar to other stone fruits. Hardy in Zones 4a to 8b.
Quick Facts
Height
25 ft
Spread
29 ft
Growth Rate
Moderate
Light
Full Sun
Soil
Well Drained
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
Zone Zones 4a–8b
Bloom Time
April
Origin
Western Asia, Caucasus
Diseases (58)
Armillaria mellea Armillaria Crown and Root Rot Armillaria ostoyae Armillaria Root Rot Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Canker An uncharacterized Black Canker Apiosporina morbosa Black Knot The fungi Brown Rot Blossom Blight and Fruit Rot The cherry Cherry Mottle Leaf Cherry twisted Cherry Twisted Leaf Believed to Crinkle Leaf and Deep Suture Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens) Crown Gall Cytospora canker Cytospora Canker Abiotic or frost injury Dead Bud Eola rasp Eola Rasp Leaf (Yellow Bud Mosaic) Although bacterial Fungal Cankers Mechanical injury Gumming Non-pathogenic (physiological response to injury/stress) Gumming (Gummosis) The normal June Drop Symptom category — not a single disease Leaf Spot Grapevine leafroll virus Leafroll Little cherry Little Cherry Cherry mottle leaf virus Mottle leaf Uncharacterized graft Necrotic Rusty Mottle (Lambert Mottle) and Rusty Mottle Uncharacterized graft Necrotic rusty mottle Phytophthora spp. (P Phytophthora Root Rot Multiple fungal agents Pitting Many fungi Postharvest Rots Podosphaera aphanis var. aphanis Powdery Mildew Prune dwarf Prune Dwarf Prunus necrotic Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Cherry rasp Rasp Leaf Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Fusari... Replant Disease This problem Rosette [VERIFY] (multiple possible causes) Rugose Stigmina carpophila or Diaporthe spp. Shothole Stigmina carpophila Shothole (Coryneum Blight) Chondrostereum purpureum Silver Leaf Prune dwarf Sour Cherry Yellows Several causes Stem Pitting Verticillium dahliae Verticillium Wilt One of Virus-induced Cherry Decline Raspberry bushy dwarf virus and related viruses Virus Taphrina wiesneri Witches' Broom Taphrina wiesneri Witches'-broom (Cherry leaf curl) Limb and Wood Decay Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni X-Disease Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Canker and Blast Monilinia fructicola and M Brown Rot Plum pox virus (PPV) Plum Pox (Sharka) Xanthomonas citri Red Spot Fruit Blemish (Freckles) Taphrina deformans Leaf Curl Non-pathogenic (physiological disorder — epidermal cell d... Russeting Chrysomyxa piperiana Rusty Spot Environmental/temperature stress Split Pit Phytophthora spp Sprinkler Rot (Phytophthora Fruit Rot) Blueberry mosaic virus and related viruses Virus Diseases Taphrina pruni Plum Pockets Thekopsora minima and Naohidemyces vaccinii Rust Wilsonomyces carpophilus Coryneum blight (Shothole)
Pests (51)
Choreutis pariana Apple-and-thorn skeletonizer Myzus cerasi Black cherry aphid Halyomorpha halys Brown marmorated stink bug Enarmonia formosana Cherry bark tortrix Cherry fruit fly Cherry slug (pear slug, cherry sawfly, pear sawfly) Noctuidae Cutworms and Armyworms Forficula auricularia Earwig Spilonota ocellana Eyespotted bud moth Archips argyrospila Fruittree leafroller Acrobasis spp. Leaf crumpler and Mineola moth Cicadellidae Leafhopper Tortricidae Leafroller Grapholita prunivora Lesser appleworm Chrysobothris mali Pacific flatheaded borer Synanthedon exitiosa Peachtree borer Pear slug (Cherry slug) Aculus fockeui Prunus rust mite Schizura concinna Redhumped caterpillar Diaspidiotus perniciosus San Jose scale Scale Scolytus rugulosus Shothole borer Tetranychidae Spider mite Drosophila suzukii Spotted-wing drosophila Pentatomidae Stink bug Syneta albida Syneta beetle Malacosoma spp. Tent caterpillar Thysanoptera Thrips Rhagoletis indifferens Western cherry fruit fly Phyllonorycter elmaella Western tentiform leafminer Operophtera brumata Winter moth Hyphantria cunea Fall webworm Anarsia lineatella Peach twig borer Aphidoidea Aphid Choristoneura rosaceana Obliquebanded Leafroller Pear sawfly (pear slug) Otiorhynchus spp. Root weevil Edwardsiana rosae Rose leafhopper Western red-humped caterpillar Cacoecimorpha pronubana Carnation tortrix Aculus cornutus Peach silver mite Parthenolecanium spp. Lecanium scale Pear sawfly Phorodon humuli Hop aphid Brachycaudus helichrysi Leaf curl plum aphid Coccoidea Scale insect Caliroa cerasi Pear slug Nematode, Dagger Nematode, Ring Nematode, Root-lesion Nematodes
Cultivars (5)
'Atropurpurea'
Common name: Atropurpurea Flowering Plum; Mature height: 15–20 ft
Hardy to USDA Zone 5
'Krauters Vesuvius'
Common name: Krauter's Vesuvius Flowering Plum Krauter's Vesuvius Plum Krauter Vesuvius; Mature height: 15–20 ft
Hardy to USDA Zone 5
'Thundercloud'
Common name: Thundercloud Flowering Plum Thundercloud Plum; Mature height: 15–20 ft
Hardy to USDA Zone 5
'Krauter Vesuvius'
'Cripoizam'