Rasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bird cherry
Tree·Prunus padus
Full sun
Sun
Medium
Water
Moist soil
Drainage
Zones 3–7
Hardiness
Bird cherry (Prunus padus) is a tree. It grows best in full sun and has moderate water needs.
Through the year
DormantFloweringFruitingDying back
Works well with
from wiki dataNo companions recorded.
WHAT IT NEEDS
Wants full sun
Needs moderate water
Tolerates moist soil, as long as it drains well
Prefers soil pH 5.5–7.5
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Prefers loam, clay, sand soil
Tolerates some soil compaction
Draws up potassium, calcium from deep in the soil
Adds a moderate amount of organic matter to the soil
Partners with mycorrhizal fungi to boost nutrient uptake
WHAT IT GIVES
Gives mulch biomass (medium)
Gives nectar (attracts pollinators)
Gives pollen (attracts pollinators)
Gives fruit (food for birds and wildlife)
Provides potassium
Provides calcium
Attracts pollinators
Attracts birds
Attracts wildlife
HOW IT GROWS
SIZE & SPACING
Sub-canopy tree
Height800–1500 cm
Spacing600 cm (min 400 cm)
Root depthMedium
Width400–800 cm
Width figures are rough estimates, the most variable measurement in our data.
AI estimate · accuracy improves as growers contribute corrections.
HOW TO PROPAGATE
Propagate by seeds, cuttings
Difficulty
Establishes in about 2 yr
Self-seeds readily on its own
Where this comes from
Parsed11 Sept 2026
ConfidenceNot recorded
Photograph Rasbak · CC BY-SA 3.0