Chokecherry

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering and fruiting are best in full sun.

Water

Water regularly while establishing. Established plants tolerate some drought, but fruit develops best with consistent moisture.

Soil

Adaptable to sandy, loamy or clay soils, provided drainage is adequate; tolerates a broad pH range.

Height

20-30 ft (6-9 m)

Spread

15-20 ft (4.5-6 m), with suckers forming wider thickets

Flowers

Spring to early summer; fragrant white flowers in elongated, hanging clusters.

Foliage

Oval green leaves with finely toothed edges and pointed tips; autumn colour is usually yellow, sometimes orange or red.

Growth

Moderate to fast

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   8 ft (2.3 m)

3. After 2 years

   9 ft (2.7 m)

4. After 3 years

   10 ft (3 m)

5. After 5 years

   12 ft (3.7 m)

About 16 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US and Canada

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two growing seasons.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the trunk.
• Avoid routine feeding unless growth is weak and a soil test indicates a deficiency.
• Remove unwanted suckers at their point of origin before they establish a thicket.
• Keep livestock away from foliage, fallen branches and pruning waste.

Pruning. Prune in dry summer weather to reduce silver leaf infection risk, removing crossing branches and retaining either one trunk or several well-spaced stems. Avoid heavy pruning, which encourages vigorous shoots and suckers.

Pick whole fruit clusters in late summer to early autumn when the fruit has reached its mature dark red to purple-black colour and softened; expect a useful first crop roughly 3-5 years after planting, sometimes longer from seedlings. Use the ripe flesh for cooked preserves or syrup, removing and discarding the stones without crushing them.

Autumn

Plant while the soil is workable, or wait until spring in regions with severe winters.

Late winter

Inspect bare branches for black knot swellings and mark affected growth for removal.

Spring

Renew mulch and check young plants for moisture as growth resumes.

Late spring

Check for tent caterpillar nests and remove small nests by hand where safely accessible.

Summer

Prune in dry weather and remove unwanted suckers.

Late summer to early autumn

Harvest fully ripe fruit promptly, leaving some for birds if desired.

• Use in a mixed native hedgerow with serviceberry and viburnum for flowers, fruit and shelter.
• Plant at a woodland edge where its spring flowers stand out against larger trees.
• Allow a suckering colony in a spacious wildlife garden, away from lawns and paving.
• Include in an informal edible landscape where fallen fruit and maintenance access are acceptable.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Wildlife garden, Native hedgerow, Food forest, Edible landscape and Rewilded.

Plant it with: Serviceberry, American hazelnut, Nannyberry, Wild bergamot, Little bluestem and Wild columbine.

Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects. Birds and mammals eat the fruit, while the foliage supports many moth and butterfly caterpillars; dense growth provides nesting cover.

• Black knot causes hard, black swellings on branches: cut at least 6-8 in (15-20 cm) below each knot in dry weather, disinfect tools between cuts and dispose of infected material.
• Eastern tent caterpillars can strip foliage: remove small tents and caterpillars early; large trees usually recover from limited damage.
• Cherry leaf spot causes spotted leaves and premature leaf fall: collect fallen leaves, improve air circulation and avoid wetting foliage when watering.
• Root suckers can overwhelm nearby planting: remove them repeatedly or give the plant a dedicated area where a colony is acceptable.

Leaves, stems, bark and the kernels inside the stones contain cyanogenic compounds and can seriously poison people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten. Wilted or damaged foliage is especially hazardous to grazing animals. Ripe fruit flesh is edible, but do not chew or crush the stones, and keep pruning waste out of pastures.

Where it spreads. Can spread aggressively by root suckers in gardens across its native North American range, including Canada and much of the United States; birds also spread the seed. Allow space for a colony or control suckers regularly.

• Black cherry (Prunus serotina)

  Usually becomes a much larger tree and has narrower, glossier leaves, often with rusty hairs along the underside of the midrib; chokecherry has broader leaves and commonly forms thickets.

• Pin cherry (Prunus pensylvanica)

  Has flowers and bright red fruit in small clusters rather than chokecherry's elongated racemes; its leaves are generally narrower.

Chokecherry refers to the strongly astringent fruit, while virginiana means 'of Virginia'.

Propagation. Lift rooted suckers during dormancy or sow cleaned seed outdoors in autumn for natural chilling; germination can be delayed. Seedlings vary, so use vegetative propagation to retain a named cultivar's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Prunus virginiana

In the US and Canada

Native in Alaska, Canada, the lower 48 states and St. Pierre and Miquelon. Introduced in Alaska.

Native range

Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho and Illinois.

Measured

Average height 198 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.