Nanking Cherry vs Pygmy Caragana - TreeTime.ca

Nanking Cherry vs Pygmy Caragana

Prunus tomentosa

Caragana pygmaea

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTRACT GROW

Nanking Cherry
Pygmy Caragana

Nanking Cherry is a small deciduous shrub known for its attractive white blossoms and edible fruit. Its dark red berries are excellent for pies, jellies, and even fresh eating.

Nanking Cherry is highly regarded as a shade tolerant fruit. We often see it planted as a hedge on the north side of a house where few other plants will survive, let alone thrive.

Expect fruit mid to late July. The fruit can vary in sweetness and size considerably. We often hear that people prefer it to sour cherries. Perhaps this is because Nanking Cherry is more closely related to plums. In fact, it is sometimes used as a dwarfing rootstock for plums.

Note: This species is currently unavailable. Grow your own using Nanking Cherry seeds at SeedTime.ca.

Pygmy Caragana is a shrub that is related to Common Caragana and has a compact size that is suitable for yards with limited space. Its size is perfect for landscaping and decorative hedges, and requires little maintenance. This nitrogen fixer has fine-textured foliage and small yellow flowers. Much like Common Caragana, it is hardy and drought tolerant.

Popular as a low maintenance commercial landscaping shrub and for hedging. This species does have tiny spines that might poke you a bit. It has a nice appealing texture when mature.

Note: This species is currently unavailable. Grow your own using Pygmy Caragana seeds at SeedTime.ca.

Nanking Cherry Quick Facts

Pygmy Caragana Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2b
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: scarlet sweet but slightly tart cherries, 8-12 mm diameter
Flowers: white, early spring
Flowers: prolific tiny yellow pea-like flowers
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: none




Other Names: ando cherry, chinese bush cherry, chinese dwarf cherry, downy cherry, hansens bush cherry, korean cherry, manchu cherry, mountain cherry, shanghai cherry
Other Names: pygmy peashrub