Chokecherry, Amur
Prunus maackii
Rosaceae - Rose

Description

Leaves: Alternate; simple; elliptic to obovate; 2" to 4" long and one-third as wide; deciduous; bright green; sharply, finely serrate margin; petiole 1/2" long with small, usually with conspicuous glands or bumps on each side at base of leaf blade.

Twigs/buds: Twigs slender; red-brown, pubescent when young. Terminal buds 1/4" to 1/3" long, scaly, red-brown to brown like twig; lateral buds same size or slightly smaller.

Flowers/fruit: Flowers perfect; showy, white, 1/2" across, appear in elongated bunches in May. Fruit a red, 1/4" diameter drupe maturing black in August.

Bark: Very distinctive coppery orange-bronze and shiny-smooth, peeling on older stems; with horizontally elongated lenticels.

Wood: Unknown.

General: Native to Korea and Manchuria; not Utah. Shrubby tree that gets medium-sized, often with a multi-stemmed habit. Likes fairly moist locations with rich soils, but will do well on poorer sites. Shade intolerant. Fruit and/or plant part can be nuisances; use fruitless varieties if possible.

Landscape Use: Attractive flowers and especially showy bark make this a good tree. Has been added in this edition because I finally saw one in Murray's City Park doing well; healthy and vigorous. Limited cultivars available. Zones 3-6.

Cultivar: 'Amber Beauty', 'Goldrush', 'Goldspur'.

Characteristics

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