Bush Cherry, Nanking

I have several of these and they bloom early spring with always seeing bumble bee queens on the blossums. This year I witnessed two rusty patch queens. The monarch catapillar's like to cocoon under the leaves in the fall. The berries make good pie if you are fast enough to harvest before the birds get them.

I've purchased the Nanking Bush Cherry in the past. One was given to my daughter. It was kept small (about 6 feet tall), trimmed as a tree, and shaped like a Bonsai tree with different layers and spreading outward. It was beautiful. Suddenly, one year, leaves started to dry up and it died. My daughter has found 2 seedlings from that tree and is going to let them grow. I purchased one for myself, about 3 years ago. It was very small when I got it, about 2 feet tall, if I recall correctly. I have been pruning to make it a tree . This year it is in full bloom and beautiful. It is 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet across. I'm debating about pruning it into a bonsai shape or just letting it grow. I have ordered a new Nanking Cherry that came today. It is one skinny stem that is 3 feet tall with many buds along that stem. I have no doubt that I'll be able to shape this one into a tree as well. The birds love the berries; they don't last very long. I tried tasting one. Nothing that I'm interested in, so the birds can enjoy!

I ordered three of these bushes in March of 2023. It is now march of 2024. I planted these in 22 inch diameter planters. One fell over. After that I staked all three. Last year they all flowered. No fruit yet as of the time of this writing. I did some light pruning. They are budding this year, and look healthy.