Ruslan V.Albitsky aka pauk · CC BY-SA 2.5
Nanking cherry
Shrub·Prunus tomentosa
Full sun
Sun
Medium
Water
Well-drained soil
Drainage
Zones 2–7
Hardiness
Nanking cherry (Prunus tomentosa) is a shrub. It grows best in full sun and has moderate water needs.
Through the year
DormantFloweringFruitingReady to harvestDying back
Works well with
from wiki dataNo companions recorded.
WHAT IT NEEDS
Wants full sun
Needs moderate water
Needs well-drained soil
Prefers soil pH 6–8
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Prefers loam, sandy loam, clay loam 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 fruit (edible cherries)
Gives mulch biomass (medium)
Gives pollen (abundant)
Gives nectar (abundant)
Provides potassium
Provides calcium
Attracts pollinators
Attracts birds
HOW IT GROWS
SIZE & SPACING
Shrub layer
Height150–300 cm
Spacing200 cm (min 150 cm)
Root depthMedium
Width150–300 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 seed, cuttings, grafting
Difficulty
Establishes in about 2 yr
Self-seeds readily on its own
Where this comes from
Parsed11 Sept 2026
ConfidenceNot recorded
Photograph Ruslan V.Albitsky aka pauk · CC BY-SA 2.5