Dwarf black cherry (forum)

starling starts with ...
Bought this off ebay--dwarf black cherry native to the US I think (prunus besseyi). Grows to about a meter and is a hardy cropper of highly rated fruit--can take droughts etc so I thought it might do well here in the subtropics. Very nice looking little white shrub, seen a lot of pictures of it growing in bleak looking soil.Also known as western sand cherry--self pollinating. Anyone know much about it or growing this?
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 24th September 2013 8:13am

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Original Post was last edited: 24th September 2013 8:18am
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BJ says...
Good luck Starling!
Though the problem with US natives is that only a tiny area of the US is subtropical, so most US natives will not be suitable. Most would suit temperate and semi-arid zones better. But I hope Im wrong on this one.

Have you looked into the cherry plums that grow at the Brisbane Botanic Garden? Looks like a good one to try out as it gets heaps of fruit, but between the pesticides and fruit fly I wouldnt be game to try them...

Time: 24th September 2013 9:08am

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About the Author Theposterformerlyknownas
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starling says...
BJ,

yeah--I deliberated over the plum cherry but for exactly the same reasons decided against it--mainly the FF.

Hope this thing likes it here, apparently it will flourish anywhere in the US from zones 2-8. Very susceptible to pests apparently and requires regular pruning, looks like I'll have to be on to it. Time will tell I guess(I'm probably kidding myself) I'll post updates on its progress--the variety I bought has been cultivated for eating quality.Grows really easily from cuttings going by the reports.

S

Time: 24th September 2013 9:34am

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JakfruitEttiquette says...
Its a Prunus, but check if the seed of this species need to be cold stratified or not. I grew it years ago, fruit were variable from different seedlings, some tart, one was very good. My plant not as silver as the pic, more blue grey. Didnt fruit every year.

Time: 25th September 2013 7:32am

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starling says...
Thanks jackfruit,

what zone were you in when you grew this? How did you find the fruit compared to a standard store-bought cherry?

Time: 25th September 2013 3:51pm

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JakfruitEttiquette says...
Fruit were like black cherry plums, not like common cherry. Flavour of the best plant was less sweet than most Prunus, but still nice. Other plants a bit tart.
Your source is selected, mine was wild, so maybe different. My plants blue green, not silver.

Time: 7th October 2013 6:46am

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