Nanking Cherry vs Royal Purple Smokebush

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.

Royal Purple Smokebush is an attractive and dramatic shrub. Mid-summer you'll notice feathery, purple-pink puffs of airy seed clusters that give the illusion of smoke. The contrast of these seed clusters against deep purple-red foliage will make Royal Purple Smokebush your new favorite shrub.

It is tolerant of clay soil, drought, and deer, making Royal Purple Smokebush a hardy addition to any yard. Try it in a hedge, shrub border, or as an accent shrub; regardless of how you use it, this shrub will be a head turner.

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