Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees. Charlotte Adelman

      Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata)

       Nonnative:

CHERRY, PLUM. Family: Rosaceae. Genus: Prunus. Cherry, Plum Disease and Cultivation Note: “Unfortunately, countless insects and diseases contribute to the decline of many of these plants. In general, Prunus species prefer moist, well-drained, acid to near neutral soils,” writes Michael A. Dirr.¹¹² Sun, regular pruning, and avoiding crowding are also needed. Early blooming creates susceptibility to frost damage. The period of full bloom for some introduced cherry blossoms is very limited, “usually less than a week.”¹¹³ Due to weather, blooming for introduced ornamental cherries is often limited to two or three days. Few have fall color. Despite their beauty, nonnative cherries and plums and their numerous cultivars have relatively short life spans, compared to other ornamental species. “On average, ornamental cherry trees live between 15 and 20 years.”¹¹⁴ Cultivar Note: Suckers from damaged roots of purple-leaved grafted cultivars will be green, not purple; AMUR CHERRY, AMUR CHOKECHERRY, MANCHURIAN CHOKECHERRY (Padus maackii, syn. Prunus maackii). Origin: Korea, Manchuria. Height: 20–30 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Exfoliating bark, fragrant white flowers in April to May, small black cherries. Maintaining tree form requires pruning. Zone: 2; MYROBALAN PLUM, CHERRY PLUM (P. cerasifera, P. cerasifera var. pissardii). Origin: Eurasia. Height/Spread: 15–30 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White or pinkish flowers in April. Purple foliage. The leaves will turn green if grown in the shade. Has a bad habit of cross-branching. May spread or naturalize by self-seeding. Sometimes used as a rootstock. Purple-leaf plums, including the many cultivars, are fast growing but disease susceptible and short lived, declining at 10–15 years. Cultivar Note: Suckers from green-leaved rootstock are green-leaved, not purple. Ecological Threat: Naturalized in midwestern states. Zones: 4–8; EUROPEAN BIRD CHERRY (Padus avium var. avium, syn. Prunus padus). Origin: Europe, Asia. Height/Spread: 20–40 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White flowers. Ecological Threat: Naturalized in midwestern states. Zones: 3–6; JAPANESE FLOWERING CHERRY, ORIENTAL CHERRY (P. serrulata). Origin: China, Japan, Korea. Height/Spread: 50–75 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White to pink flowers. Its cultivars often suffer from viruses, live 10–15 years, and are not hardy in Zone 5. Zones: 5–8; MAHALEB CHERRY (Cerasus mahaleb, syn. Prunus mahaleb). Origin: Europe, Asia. Ornamental Attributes: White flowers, black fruits. Invasive in the Chicago area. Zones: 5–8; NANKING CHERRY. See p. 17; SARGENT CHERRY (Cerasus sachalinensis, syn. Prunus sargentii). Origin: Japan, Korea, Russia. Height/Spread: 25–75 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Pink flowers. Life Span: Sometimes up to 20 years. Zones: 4–8; SWEET CHERRY, MAZARD CHERRY (Cerasus avium, syn. Prunus avium). Origin: Europe, Northern Africa. Height/Spread: 15–30 feet. Ornamental Attributes: White flowers. Life Span: Up to 25 years. Zones: 3–8; WINTER-FLOWERING CHERRY, FLOWERING CHERRY (P. subhirtella). Origin: Japan, Korea, Russia. Height/Spread: 20–45 feet. Ornamental Attributes: Nonfragrant pale pink to white flowers. Ecological Threat: Naturalized in Ohio. Zones: 4–7; Cultivar: WEEPING FLOWERING CHERRY (P. subhirtella ‘Pendula’). Height/Spread: 20–30 feet. Zones: 5–8.

       More Nonnatives:

      PEACH (Amygdalus persica, syn. Prunus persica var. persica). Ecological Threat: Naturalized in midwestern states. Zones: 5–8.

      See Spring Shrubs for CHERRY, PLUM, ALMOND, p. 16.

       Native Alternatives: