Sandcherry (Prunus pumila) is a low, suckering deciduous shrub native to eastern and central North America, grown for its small edible cherries and hardiness. It spreads into dense colonies from root sprouts, so give it room or contain it.
Family
Rosaceae (Rose family)
Grows as
Shrub
Light
Full sun
Water
Water regularly while establishing, then only during prolonged dry spells.
Soil
Sandy or well-drained soil; tolerates poor, dry, and acidic to alkaline soils.
Temperature
Very cold hardy, roughly USDA zones 2 to 6; protect young plants from harsh winter wind.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Mildly toxic: Seeds, leaves, and bark contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can release cyanide if chewed or crushed; the fleshy fruit itself is eaten.. Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Edible
Yes, some parts
Native range
SE. Canada to NC. & EC. U.S.A.
Climate
temperate
About
Prunus pumila, commonly called sand cherry, is a North American species of cherry, part of the rose family.
Where it grows
It is widespread in eastern and central Canada from New Brunswick west to Saskatchewan and the northern United States from Maine to Montana, south as far as Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, and Virginia, with a few isolated populations in Tennessee and Utah. It grows in sandy locations such as shorelines and dunes.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Prunus pumila by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.