True Root Nursery

Nanking Cherry Seedling Bareroot

Species: Prunus tomentosa

History: Nanking cherry is native to parts of China, Tibet, Korea, and Mongolia, and possibly northern India. It has long been cultivated in Asia for its tart fruit which is used in pickling, making wine, juice, and jam, and as an ornamental plant. It was introduced to Britain in 1870 and the US in 1892 where it is also planted in hedgerows as a windbreak. Breeding programs in the US, Canada, and Russia began in the 1920s to make the fruit more palatable fresh but by the 1940s interest had unfortunately waned. 

Why We Grow It: Although more closely related to plums than cherries, Nanking cherry is great for a variety of uses including wine, juice, jam, and as an ornamental plant thanks to their attractive pinkish-white blossoms. Some enjoy eating the tart fruit fresh as well and they are also popular with birds and wildlife. Nanking cherries are hardy and tolerant of quite cold weather, making them an excellent option for most parts of Canada. 

$15.50

Size

24 in stock

Fruit Traits:

Recommended Use: Wine, juice, jam, fresh eating, attracting wildlife and pollinators, ornamental

Fruit Size: Small

Storage: Keeps about a week in the fridge

Harvest: July

Cider Class (if applicable):

Tree Traits:

Canadian Hardiness Zone: 2

Soil Preferance: Prefers sandy, well-drained soils that are alkaline but generally adaptable to most conditions

Flowering Time: Spring

Bloom Colour: Pinkish-white

Pollination Requirements: Requires another Nanking cherry to pollinate and produce fruit

Sun/Shade Requirements: Tolerates part shade but produces best in full sun (approx. 8-10 hours of full sun daily)

General Growth Habit: Shrub reaches 4m high, vigorous, may grow more as a bush. Generally disease resistant and hardy.

Overall Disease Resistance Rating*: High

*this rating is combined with our experience growing in our test orchards combined with already available information on the cultivar.

Shipping: Every year we ship thousands of plants across Canada. We carefully bag roots in damp sawdust, then box them and send them out via courier. CLICK HERE to see our shipping policy.

Pick-up: We also have thousands of trees picked up from our nursery each year. The pick-up options is free, though you must wait until you have been emailed a confirmation that your order is ready to pick up, which will have further information such as hours, locations, etc.

We have simplified our crop inventory for grafted fruit trees into two sizes:

1m+ Grade: this often has some feathering, and is measured including the rootstock.

50-80cm Grade: this is like a 'b-grade' tree, sometimes with minor scaring or bent, these trees are priced accordingly.

$15.50

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