Early Spring White Blooms on Manchu Cherry

Manchu Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) is a popular early blooming shrub that carries soft white flowers in early to mid-April on bare branches. Next come the dark green leaves that are deeply veined and look elegant against the reddish-brown bark. Best of all are the edible red fruit that ripen in July with a tart flavor.

This native of China and Japan is also known by the name Nanking cherry. The shrub is considered fast growing and achieves a height and spread of 6-10 feet. Manchu cherry prefers full sun and a rich loamy, well-drained soil with an acidic, neutral, or alkaline pH. The shrub will tolerate some shade, but there will be decreased flowering if there is too much shade. Hardy in Zones 2-7, Manchu cherry is wind tolerant and makes a suitable windscreen when planted en masse or in rows.

Manchu cherry is a good selection for a shrub border, a woodland garden, an edible hedge, a mass planting, or a specimen plant. Manchu cherry will definitely attract wildlife to the yard. Install shrubs 4-5 feet apart for a hedge and up to 15 feet otherwise. This is a garden quality shrub that offers spring, summer, and winter interest.

The flowers are pollinated by insects. Shrubs can be propagated by seed, cuttings from soft wood, and layering. Seeds must be subjected to 2-3 months of cold before germinating which can take up to 18 months. Rabbits will seek out the seeds, so care should be taken to protect the seed bed.

If the local songbirds spare any fruit, the berries are prized in wine, syrup, jellies and pies. The flowers are fragrant which adds to the appeal of the shrub. As Manchu cherry matures, it takes on a spreading shape. Some experts recommend pruning back the lower branches to allow a better view of the branches that exfoliate as they age and are appealing for their shiny reddish-brown color.

There are several cultivars available through the trade including 'Drilea', 'Orient', "Pink Cloud', and 'Scarlet Gem'.

Manchu cherry has predators. The shrub is susceptible to verticillium wilt, black knot, and borers. Rabbits enjoy browsing this shrub.

Sources
Prunus tomentosa, North Dakota State University, http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-11.pdf
Prunus tomentosa, University of Illinois Extension, http://urbanext.illinois.edu/ShrubSelector/detail_plant.cfm?PlantID=365
Prunus tomentosa, Backyard Gardener, http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pd_8789.html
Prunus tomentosa, Plants for a Future, http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Prunus+tomentosa
Prunus, DeGroot Inc., http://www.degroot-inc.com/product_info.php?products_id=41