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Common Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana

Rosaceae · broadleaf deciduous shrub · native

Last updated

Data Coverage 4 of 6 dimensions
Site Data
Threats
Cultivars
Phenology
GDD Thresholds
Puget Sound

Quick Facts

Height
30 ft
Light
Full Sun to Part Shade
Hardiness
Zone Zones 2a–8b
Bloom Time
April to May
Origin
over much of eastern North America

Phenological Calendar

As of April 3, 2026, Puget Sound stations range from 1070 to 1180.6 GDD₃₂. Common Chokecherry has reached 'flower buds visible' (1102 GDD₃₂) and is approaching 'leaf emergence', predicted around Apr 5.

Regional Season Tracker

GDD₃₂ accumulation across 7 Puget Sound stations · as of Apr 3, 2026
Station GDD₃₂ Current Stage Next To Go
Issaquah / East King 1,181 'Leaf emergence' 'First bloom' 379
Seattle / UW 1,171 'Leaf emergence' 'First bloom' 389
Kent / Auburn 1,111 'Flower buds visible' 'Leaf emergence' 24
Olympia / Tumwater 1,106 'Flower buds visible' 'Leaf emergence' 29
Bellingham / Whatcom 1,101 'Bud break' 'Flower buds visible' 1
Tacoma / Puyallup 1,075 'Bud break' 'Flower buds visible' 27
Sequim / Rain Shadow 1,070 'Bud break' 'Flower buds visible' 32
Stage GDD32 Typical Window
'Bud break' BBCH '07' 809 ''
● 'Flower buds visible' BBCH '51' NOW 1102 ''
○ 'Leaf emergence' BBCH '11' NEXT 1135 '' est. Apr 5 (forecast)
'First bloom' BBCH '61' 1560 '' est. Apr 26 (avg)
'Fall color / leaf senescence' BBCH '93' 3324 '' est. Jul 3 (avg)
Local estimate
Range: 1049–1930 GDD₃₂ (11yr) · 63 obs

GDD = Growing Degree Days (base 32°F, Jan 1 start). Why base 32? GDD₃₂ thresholds from USA National Phenology Network citizen science observations (WA+OR). Season tracker for Kent / Auburn as of Apr 3, 2026. Predicted dates use 16-day weather forecast through Apr 19, 2026, then climate normals.

Diseases (58)

Taphrina wiesneri Witches'-broom (Cherry leaf curl) Verticillium dahliae Verticillium Wilt Stigmina carpophila Shothole (Coryneum Blight) Prunus necrotic Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Podosphaera aphanis var. aphanis Powdery Mildew Uncharacterized graft Necrotic rusty mottle Cherry mottle leaf virus Mottle leaf Little cherry Little Cherry Symptom category — not a single disease Leaf Spot Non-pathogenic (physiological response to injury/stress) Gumming (Gummosis) Abiotic or frost injury Dead Bud Cytospora canker Cytospora Canker Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens) Crown Gall The fungi Brown Rot Blossom Blight and Fruit Rot Apiosporina morbosa Black Knot Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Canker Armillaria ostoyae Armillaria Root Rot 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) Stigmina carpophila or Diaporthe spp. Shothole Chondrostereum purpureum Silver Leaf Limb and Wood Decay Armillaria mellea Armillaria Crown and Root Rot An uncharacterized Black Canker The cherry Cherry Mottle Leaf Cherry twisted Cherry Twisted Leaf Believed to Crinkle Leaf and Deep Suture Eola rasp Eola Rasp Leaf (Yellow Bud Mosaic) Although bacterial Fungal Cankers Mechanical injury Gumming The normal June Drop Grapevine leafroll virus Leafroll Uncharacterized graft Necrotic Rusty Mottle (Lambert Mottle) and Rusty Mottle Phytophthora spp. (P Phytophthora Root Rot Multiple fungal agents Pitting Many fungi Postharvest Rots Prune dwarf Prune Dwarf Cherry rasp Rasp Leaf Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Fusari... Replant Disease This problem Rosette [VERIFY] (multiple possible causes) Rugose Prune dwarf Sour Cherry Yellows Several causes Stem Pitting One of Virus-induced Cherry Decline Raspberry bushy dwarf virus and related viruses Virus Taphrina wiesneri Witches' Broom Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni X-Disease 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 (40)