Western Sand Cherry vs Falsebox - TreeTime.ca

Western Sand Cherry vs Falsebox

Prunus pumila var besseyi

Paxistima myrsinites

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Western Sand Cherry
Falsebox

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.

Falsebox is a hardy, native evergreen shrub found in forests, rocky slopes, and open woodland sites. Though small and easily overlooked among the leaves, the maroon flowers still supply nectar and pollen for pollinators such as native bees and flies. Blooming in spring, they provide an important early-season food source. Its year-round greenery adds visual interest through the winter.

Falsebox is a low-growing shrub that tolerates a wide range of conditions, including drought once established. It thrives particularly well beneath the shade of mature trees, where few other plants succeed. With its resilience and ecological value, Falsebox is well-suited for naturalization, restoration projects, and diverse landscape plantings.

Western Sand Cherry Quick Facts

Falsebox Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: any
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: prostrate to spreading
Spreading: layering - medium
Suckering: medium


Foliage: grey-green
Foliage: evergreen, leathery leaves
Fall colour: reddish-orange
Bark: reddish-brown
Flowers: white
Flowers: small, maroon-purple, fragrant
Bloom time: summer
Berries: small purple cherries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: false box, mountain boxwood, mountain lover, myrtle boxwood, oregon boxleaf, oregon boxwood