Nanking Cherry vs Robert Chokecherry

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.

Developed in Barrhead, Alberta, the Robert Chokecherry produces very large berries (comparable to the size of grapes) with good yield.

The berries can be used for wine, jams, jellies and fresh picking, making it one of the sweeter chokecherries. Rich, red foliage make it a striking landscape addition.

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