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Prunus padus

bird cherry

© RHS
Sold by 18 nurseries

  • Other common names bird cherry
    black dogwood

    common bird cherry
    eggberry
    hackberry
    hagberry
    heckberry
    hedgeberry
    hog cherry

    see more

  • Family Rosaceae

  • 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

  • Details P. padus is a large deciduous tree with toothed, ovate leaves turning yellow in autumn, and pendant racemes of frgrant white flowers 1cm wide in late spring, followed by small, bitter black fruits

  • Plant range Europe, W Asia to Korea and Japan

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • 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

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Aspect South-facing or North-facing or West-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Sand

    Sand

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureWell-drained, Moist but well-drained

  • SoilSand, Clay, Chalk, Loam

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Higher than 12 metres

  • Ultimate spread 4-8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in moderately fertile soil in full sun

Propagation Propagate by seed, chip budding or grafting, although softwood cuttings in early summer with bottom heat can also be successful

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Cottage & Informal Garden

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1. Prune in mid-summer if silver leaf is a problem

Pests Susceptible to damage from aphids, caterpillars and bullfinches

Diseases May be affected by silver leaf, bacterial canker and blossom wilt

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