Common Chokecherry

'First bloom'

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana

Rosaceae · broadleaf deciduous shrub · native

Last updated

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
Watch for this season

Bloom Infection Window (Critical)

Coryneum blight (Shothole)High

Primary Infection - Flowers and Young Leaves

Spring Canker Activation

RustHigh

Aecial Stage (Alternate Host)

+ 17 more — see full disease and pest lists below

Phenological Calendar

As of May 13, 2026, Puget Sound stations range from 1906.2 to 2098.2 GDD₃₂. Common Chokecherry has reached 'first bloom' (1560 GDD₃₂) and is approaching 'fall color / leaf senescence', predicted around Jun 28.

Regional Season Tracker

GDD₃₂ accumulation across 7 Puget Sound stations · as of May 13, 2026
Station GDD₃₂ Current Stage Next To Go
Issaquah / East King 2,098 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,226
Kent / Auburn 2,089 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,235
Seattle / UW 2,063 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,261
Olympia / Tumwater 2,025 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,299
Tacoma / Puyallup 1,993 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,331
Bellingham / Whatcom 1,972 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,352
Sequim / Rain Shadow 1,906 'First bloom' 'Fall color / leaf senescence' 1,418
Stage GDD32 Typical Window
'Bud break' BBCH '07' 809 ''
'Flower buds visible' BBCH '51' 1102 ''
'Leaf emergence' BBCH '11' 1135 ''
'First bloom' BBCH '61' NOW 1560 ''
'Fall color / leaf senescence' BBCH '93' NEXT 3324 '' est. Jun 28 (avg)
Range: 1049–1930 GDD₃₂ (11yr) · 63 obs

Source: 'NPN citizen science observations (WA+OR), n=120, median. services.usanpn.org' About GDD₃₂ →

Season tracker for Kent / Auburn as of May 13, 2026. Predicted dates use 16-day weather forecast through May 29, 2026, then climate normals.

Diseases: Regionally Documented (53)

Witches'-broom (Cherry leaf curl) Verticillium dahliae Verticillium Wilt Stigmina carpophila Shothole (Coryneum Blight) Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Multiple obligate biotrophic fungi (Erysiphales: Erysipha... Powdery Mildew Necrotic rusty mottle virus (uncharacterized) Necrotic rusty mottle Mottle leaf Little cherry virus-1 and Little cherry virus-2 Little Cherry Symptom category — not a single disease Leaf Spot Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (bacterial canker complex) Dead Bud Cytospora spp. (Valsa spp., Leucostoma spp.) Cytospora Canker Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens) Crown Gall Monilinia fructicola and M Brown Rot Blossom Blight and Fruit Rot Apiosporina morbosa Black Knot Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Canker Armillaria spp. — primarily A Armillaria Root Rot Plum pox virus (PPV) Plum Pox (Sharka) Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni Red Spot Fruit Blemish (Freckles) Stigmina carpophila or Diaporthe spp. Shothole Chondrostereum purpureum Silver Leaf Multiple Basidiomycete fungi cause wood decay in trees Wood Decay An uncharacterized Black Canker Cherry twisted leaf-associated virus Cherry Twisted Leaf Believed to Crinkle Leaf and Deep Suture Eola rasp Eola Rasp Leaf (Yellow Bud Mosaic) Although bacterial Fungal Cankers 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 Several causes Stem Pitting Cherry leafroll virus (CLRV); complex with prune dwarf vi... Virus-induced Cherry Decline Raspberry bushy dwarf virus and related viruses Virus Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni X-Disease Taphrina deformans Leaf Curl Russeting Chrysomyxa piperiana Rusty Spot Split Pit Sprinkler Rot (Phytophthora Fruit Rot) Taphrina pruni Plum Pockets Multiple genera (Melampsoridium, Thekopsora, Naohidemyces... Rust Wilsonomyces carpophilus Coryneum blight (Shothole) Xiphinema americanum and related species Nematode, Dagger Mesocriconema spp Nematode, Ring Pratylenchus penetrans (primary) and P Nematode, Root-lesion Various plant-parasitic nematode genera Nematodes

Pests: Regionally Documented (31)

Data Maturity
Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.