Western Sand Cherry vs Western Chokecherry - TreeTime.ca

Western Sand Cherry vs Western Chokecherry

Prunus pumila var besseyi

Prunus virginiana var. demissa

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Western Sand Cherry
Western Chokecherry

Western Sand Cherry is known for its unique, leathery grey-green foliage and beautiful white blossoms. It is a popular ornamental shrub in parks and front yards. Both you and the wildlife will love its edible small dark red to purple cherries.

Due to its small stature and spreading qualities, Western Sandcherry is suitable as an underplanting or groundcover.

Many people graft plum and cherry varieties to Western Sand Cherry and use it as rootstock. It is also popular to graft hardy apricots to.

Western Chokecherry is a shrub or small tree commonly used for farmstead and field windbreaks.

It produces white flowers in the spring and edible dark purple fruit that matures between September and October. Its cherries are great for making for making jams, jellies or wine, but are not very palatable for raw eating.

Western Sand Cherry Quick Facts

Western Chokecherry Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 7 m (23 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Light: any
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: low


Toxicity: toxic to horses, cattle, etc.)
Foliage: grey-green
Fall colour: reddish-orange
Fall colour: reddish-purple
Flowers: white
Berries: small purple cherries
Berries: edible, astringent, red-purple
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: bitter-berry, chokecherry, common chokecherry, virginia bird berry