We got this Nanking Cherry as a bare root plant. Planted May 2015.
Back in February 2015 we ordered five bare root Nanking Cherry plants (Prunus tomentosa) from the Timp-Nebo/Alpine Tree sale. We received them in mid April. We planted them right away in 1 gallon pots and they leafed out pretty good. We got around to planting them in the ground at the end of May. We’ll add some chicken wire around the tomato cages to keep the rabbits and deer away while the plants get a start.
They are said to grow 6′-10′ tall and up to a 15′ spread. We didn’t leave enough room for that kind of growth, but we’ll deal with when and if they grow. They should grow 1′-2′ per year.
- Adapts well to cold winters, hot summers and drought.
- Blooms in early spring, with pink buds opening up into fragrant pale pink or white flowers.
- The cherries are tart and tangy scarlet-colored and can be eaten fresh or used in pies, jams and jellies.
- Two or more shrubs should be planted within 100′ of each other to ensure cross-pollination. It isn’t self-fertile.
- Can be planted 4–5′ apart to form a hedge.
- Adapts to a variety of soil conditions and pH levels. It prefers well-drained soil but will tolerate drought and can grow in semi-arid conditions.
I’m anxious to see what kind of cherries we get off these $3 plants.
