Prunus humilis Seeds | Cerasus
LATIN NAME: Prunus humilis
COMMON NAME: Chinese Dwarf Cherry, Ou Li, Calcium Fruit
Plant Profile
Prunus humilis, better known as Chinese Dwarf Cherry, is a low, spreading, deciduous shrub in the rose family, native to northern regions of China. It is a species of dwarf cherry, native to the northern regions of China, where it has been grown and enjoyed for a very long time, and it is known as ou li or calcium fruit. Together these qualities explain its long-standing appeal to gardeners.
Science & Biotechnology
Like other members of the rose family, Prunus humilis draws steady attention from botanists and plant breeders, who value the genus both as a subject of research and as a source of garden-worthy material. Cerasus humilis has a real and distinguished place in research. For researchers, plants like this one offer practical material for propagation studies and selection work.
Uses & Benefits
Gardeners value Chinese Dwarf Cherry for its ornamental character, and the plant also fits naturally into herb, vegetable and cutting gardens. Ecologically, cerasus humilis is a generous shrub of the northern gardens and the sunny slopes. Its small, pale-pink flowers feed bees and insects of early spring, and its bright-red fruits feed birds and small animals, while its low, spreading growth gives a fine cover and a shelter on dry, sunny ground. To raise cerasus humilis, sow seeds in pots of moist, open compost in a cool, bright place, keep them gently watered, and grow little shrubs on in the sun. It takes hold quickly and asks for no special treatment from then on.
The rose family’s great fruit genus gives plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds, all carotenoid- and polyphenol-rich; in Chinese medicine the kernels and fruits, from Xing Ren for coughs to Yu Li Ren for regularity, are classical herbs, always processed to manage their cyanogenic compounds.
Growing from Seed
Raising Chinese Dwarf Cherry from seed is straightforward. Scatter the seed evenly over a loose seed compost, cover to no more than its own depth, and keep the pot moist and bright. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Chinese Dwarf Cherry, Ou Li, Calcium Fruit earns its space through character rather than fuss. Keep the sowing evenly moist at the start — that is the one real requirement.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Chinese Dwarf Cherry often pair it with these related subjects: