5 Seeds Prunus tomentosa Nanking Cherry Tree Edible Fruit Shrub Ornamental Garden

Nanking Cherry (Prunus tomentosa) is a hardy, early-blooming shrub prized for its profusion of small, sweet-tart cherries that ripen in early summer. This vigorous, multi-stemmed plant offers ornamental appeal with silvery-green foliage, showy white spring flowers, and attractive reddish-brown bark, making it a versatile addition to edible landscapes, cottage gardens, or wildlife-friendly yards. These seeds are clean, viable, and ready for sowing to establish your own productive bushes or a flowering hedge.
These shrubs are grown for their culinary fruit, ideal for fresh snacking, jams, pies, or preserves, and they also serve as an attractive ornamental with a dense, rounded habit. Plants are self-fertile but produce heavier crops with a second variety nearby. Grow them as a specimen, in a mixed border, or trained into an informal hedge; they tolerate a range of soils and are notably cold-hardy. For best results, provide full sun and well-drained soil, and note that seeds benefit from a moist cold stratification period before sowing.
Species: Prunus tomentosa
Variety: Nanking Cherry
Type: Deciduous shrub
Plant Habit: Upright, multi-stemmed
Sun: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Well-drained, sandy loam; tolerates most soils
Days to Harvest: 2-3 years after planting (fruiting age)
Zones: 2-7
Germination: Cold stratify 60-90 days at 33-41°F, then sow; germination in 30-60 days
Sowing: Surface sow or cover lightly; keep moist and warm after stratification
Spacing: 6-8 feet apart
Notes: Hardy; attracts pollinators; fruit ripens early summer