The Western Sand Cherry Blooms in the Great Plains

The Western Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila L. var. besseyi) is a native American shrub and a member of the rose family. This woody, deciduous bush, sometimes known as Bessey's cherry, can reach 6 feet high and wide. The sand cherry grows in the Western United States in Zones 3 to 8. The shrub prefers full sun with afternoon shade. The sand cherry is covered with highly fragrant, white flowers in April and May. This shrub will definitely attract the bees.

The leaves are green to gray-green during the growing season and turn a standout red or orange-red in the fall. Black-purple berries measuring 3/4 inches long ripen in July and August and are great favorites of local birds. The seeds are toxic to people and should never be eaten. There have been successful efforts over the years to cultivate species of the sand cherry for harvestable fruit.

The sand cherry needs well drained soil and requires little moisture to survive. The shrub grows well in average and sandy soils. This plant is a good selection for difficult locations that feature a hot and dry climate. The outline of the sand cherry is ornamental, the flowers are charming, and the berries support wildlife.

The sand cherry grows in a variety of soil conditions with a pH of 4.5 to 7.5. It can stand up to occasional munching by deer and rabbits. The sand cherry is a suckering shrub and will become a mass planting if left alone. In the wild, it is seen in prairies, at the margin of woodlands, by streams, and along roadsides.

In managed garden areas, the sand cherry is both colorful and wildlife friendly. It is drought tolerant and should be considered as a shrub-ground cover on arid hillsides. It is also wind tolerant with extends its usefulness in the landscape. The sand cherry requires no pruning unless the gardener is looking for a specific shape. The shrub grows well in high elevations and can be found at 8000 feet above sea level.

The sand cherry is considered a short-lived shrub with a life span of only 20 years. It is susceptible to wilt, brown rot, and insect damage.

Sources
Sand Cherry, High Country Gardens, http://www.highcountrygardens.com/catalog/product/80404/
Sand Cherry, Backyard Gardener, http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pd_70b9.html
Sand Cherry, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PRPUB Sand Cherry, University of Illinois Extension, http://urbanext.illinois.edu/ShrubSelector/detail_plant.cfm?PlantID=362
Sand Cherry, Mountain States Wholesale Nursery, http://www.mswn.com/Plant%20Info%20Sheets/Prunus%20besseyi.pdf