Afghan Cherry Prunus jacquemontii
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus jak-MON-tee-eye
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Afghan Cherry is a dwarf to medium-sized shrub in the rose family native to Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Tibet where it is typically found in stony mountain slopes and shrubby thickets. At maturity, the shrub will reach a height of 12 feet. In the spring, showy fragrant shell pink flowers with red centers appear. These are followed by tart red cherries and, later, by foliage color in autumn.
Plant in the full sun to maximize flowers and fruit. Afghan Cherry tolerates a wide range of soil types as long as there is good drainage. It does not tolerate standing water. Once established, the shrub is drought tolerant.
Prune it in late winter when there is no threat of frost. Mass plant it and use it as a hedge or screen. It tolerates urban conditions well.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect pests. Resistant to several of the diseases common to cherries. Dropped fruits can be messy.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- jacquemontii
- Family:
- Roseaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Afghanistant, India, Pakistan and Tibet.
- Wildlife Value:
- This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north. Fruits attract birds.
- Edibility:
- Fruit is fleshy and juicy with a pleasant taste. Avoid any fruit from the genus Prunus if it has a bitter taste.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Plum purple drupes in mid-summer. Fruits roundish, 5/8 of an inch long, red, juicy, containing a roundish stone.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Funnel
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Shell pink, 5-petaled flowers with red centers appear in early spring before leaves. One to three flowers at each joint, 1/3 to 1/2 inch in diameter, with short, pointed lobes. It is self-pollinating so does not need another cherry tree to produce fruit.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Slender leaves are elliptical or obovate, pointed at both ends, 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide, glabrous, sharply and regularly toothed. The leaves on the flowering spurs are shorter and narrower than on the extension growths. Outstanding yellow fall color.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- glabrous, slender, gray branchlets.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Hedge
- Mass Planting
- Screen/Privacy
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Messy
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- Stems, leaves, seeds contain chemicals that breakdown in the body to cyanide. Cyanide can cause spasms, convulsions, coma and respiratory failure leading to death.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycosides
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Seeds
- Stems
