Chokecherry, Bare Root

Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

A colony-forming native cherry for sunny hedgerows and habitat edges. Its smaller stature and suckering growth distinguish it from the much taller black cherry.

Key Characteristics

A living thicket

Root shoots can knit separate stems into dense cover. Reserve space for that spread, or remove unwanted suckers while they are small.

Fruit for preserves and wildlife

The cherries are tart and astringent rather than dessert-sweet. Use ripe flesh for cooked jelly or syrup and keep pits out of food preparations.

A butterfly host

Eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillars use its foliage. Birds also take the fruit and make use of the shelter created by the branching stems.

Choose the right cherry

Compare Black Cherry if you want a future canopy tree. For chokecherry fruiting, plant several distinct seedlings rather than relying on one isolated plant.

Product Details

• Plant type: Deciduous perennial tree or large shrub
• Native range: Much of North America
• Sun: Full Sun
• Soil moisture: Medium; Medium-Dry
• Mature height: 20–30 feet
• Bloom: April–May–June; White
• Fruit: Small red to dark cherries with tart, astringent flesh; suited to cooked jelly and syrup. Remove pits.
• Harvest: Summer
• Pollination: Plant several separately grown chokecherry seedlings with overlapping bloom to support fruit production.
• Hardiness: USDA zones 2–7
• Stock: Seed-grown bare root plants; choose the seedling size.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Plant promptly and keep bare roots from drying out. Water the root zone, mulch clear of the stems, and protect seedlings from mowing damage and browsing. Base fertilizer on a soil test rather than feeding automatically; if needed, our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend should be used according to its label.

Watch for black knot and remove affected growth with appropriate pruning practices. Keep all foliage and prunings away from livestock; leaves, stems, bark, and pits contain toxic compounds. Avoid insecticides on open flowers.