Culture
Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. Best flowering is in full sun. Plants may spread or naturalize by self-seeding.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Prunus cerasifera, commonly called cherry plum or Myrobalan plum, is native to western Asia and the Caucasus. Today, it only exists in cultivation except for the many situations where it has escaped gardens and naturalized. Naturalization has occurred in the U.S., primarily in the northeast and far west. This is a small, sometimes spiny, deciduous tree typically growing to 15-30’ tall with a shrubby, spreading, rounded habit. Very fragrant, mostly solitary, 5-petaled, white flowers (to 1” across) bloom in early spring. Flowers are followed by small edible fruits (to 1” diameter) that are sweet but somewhat tasteless. Ovate, elliptic or obovate, thin, serrate leaves (to 2.5” long). No fall color. Species plants are uncommonly sold in commerce, but a number of purple-leaved cultivars have become quite popular. Species is sometimes used as a rootstock for other stone fruits. Myrobalan is derived from the Greek words myron (plant juice) and balanos (nut).
Genus name from Latin means plum or cherry tree.
Specific epithet is derived from the Latin words cerasus meaning cherry tree and ferre meaning to bear.
Problems
Susceptible to a large number of insect and disease pests. Potential diseases include black knot, leaf spot, die back, leaf curl, powdery mildew, root rot and fireblight. Potential insects include borers, aphids, scale, leafhoppers, caterpillars, tent caterpillars and Japanese beetles. Spider mites may also be troublesome.
Uses
This species is generally not used as an ornamental. The purple leaved cultivars are in demand as small specimen trees for the landscape.