Nanking Cherry vs Spicebush - TreeTime.ca

Nanking Cherry vs Spicebush

Prunus tomentosa

Lindera benzoin

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

Nanking Cherry
Spicebush

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.

The Spicebush is an unique ornamental shrub that blooms with vibrant yellow flowers and bright green foliage. The foliage goes from green to yellow in the autumn, adding fall interest to your garden.The plant is dioecious, meaning that you will need male and female plants in order to harvest it’s red berries. Berries are only produced on female plants. The berries themselves aren’t that sweet, and are mostly enjoyed by birds and other wildlife.

The Spicebush, also commonly known as Common Spicebush, Northern Spicebush, Wild Allspice, and Benjamin Bush, is named after its distinctive spicy-sweet fragrance that comes from the flowers.

Nanking Cherry Quick Facts

Spicebush Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: any
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Berries: scarlet sweet but slightly tart cherries, 8-12 mm diameter
Berries: red
Flowers: white, early spring
Flowers: greenish yellow
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium




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: benjamin bush, common spicebush, northern spicebush, wild allspice