Western Sand Cherry vs Manor Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Western Sand Cherry vs Manor Cherry Plum

Prunus pumila var besseyi

Prunus besseyi x salicina Manor

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Western Sand Cherry
Manor Cherry Plum

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.

Manor Cherry Plum has a nice sweet flavour and a hint of astringency, making it a top Cherry Plum variety. They ripen in mid to late August and are well suited to fresh eating, baking, and preserves.

The fruit is closer to a plum than a cherry but is smaller than most plums.The Manor Cherry Plum has thin dark purple skin, nearly black when ripe and the flesh is purplish-red. The flesh is almost freestone and is tender and juicy. Similar to other stone fruits, it does not store for very long but can keep for up to a week in the fridge.

The Manor Cherry Plum is a hybrid between a Western Sand Cherry and a Japanese (Chinese) Plum. For fruit production, it needs to be planted with another variety for cross-pollination. Canada Plum and American Plum are considered universal pollinizers.

Western Sand Cherry Quick Facts

Manor Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Light: any
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: reddish-orange
Berries: small purple cherries
Fruit size: 2.5-3 cm in diameter
Flavor: sweet flavour, slightly astringent
Harvest: mid to late August
Flowers: white
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium




Other Names: manor chum, manor plum cherry