Pawnee Buttes Western Sand Cherry
Prunus besseyi 'Pawnee Buttes'
Planted 2011
This Western Sand Cherry is a wonderful ground cover providing interest for most of the year. It has gray-green leaves, white flowers in the spring, sweet fruit in the summer, and red to deep purple leaves in the fall. It is native to Colorado, adapts to most soils and is drought tolerant.
| Height | Width | Zone | Growth Rate | Water Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 ft. | 5 ft. | 4-8 | Medium | Low |
Leaf
Alternate, simple, oval, gray-green, red-purple in the fall.
Fruit
Purple-black fruit, ¾” long, July-August, sweet.
Flower
White, ½” diameter, April-Early May.
Advantages
Tolerant of poor soils and drought, produces edible fruit, acts like a groundcover.
Disadvantages
Fruiting, loses foliage in the winter.