Prunus mahaleb

RHS Plant Profile

St Lucie cherry

John Fielding

Other common names

mahaleb cherry

Synonyms

Prunus × fontanesiana

Trees

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A spreading, deciduous tree to 10m, with glossy, mid-green leaves which turn yellow in autumn. In mid- to late spring produces small sprays of very fragrant, bowl-shaped, white flowers, followed by small, glossy, very bitter, red cherries ripening to black. Mahaleb is a spice produced from the kernels of the cherry stones

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 4-8 metres
Max Height: 8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Prunus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with showy flowers in spring, and often good autumn foliage colour. Some have edible fruit in autumn, and a few species have ornamental bark
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: C Europe & Asia Minor

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers outdoors in autumn; or by softwood cuttings, with bottom heat, in early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Pruning group 1, ideally in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf infection

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids and caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus. High Risk Host for Xylella fastidiosa