Prunus humilis Seeds | Chinese Dwarf Cherry

Categories：Tree

Chinese Dwarf Cherry seeds (Prunus humilis)

LATIN NAME: Prunus humilis

COMMON NAME: Chinese Dwarf Cherry

Plant Profile

Chinese Dwarf Cherry (Prunus humilis) grows as a low, spreading shrub in the rose family. It likes sun, and moist, well-drained soil. These traits together are what have kept the plant in gardens for so long.

Science & Biotechnology

Botanists studying the rose family regularly include Prunus humilis in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. Small, sweet fruits of the Chinese dwarf cherry hold a recognised place in research on hardy fruit shrubs of rose family, and species appears in studies of fruit sugar chemistry and cold and drought tolerance. It is the kind of species that plant scientists reach for when they need reliable material for propagation and selection studies.

Uses & Benefits

Chinese Dwarf Cherry works well in borders, containers and dedicated beds. In cold garden, the Chinese dwarf cherry blushes spring twigs with pale flowers. Sweet red berries of early summer serve table, jams and juices for generations, and they are picked and eaten straight from the bush. It grows well in moist, well-drained, sunny ground. After the first season it asks for very little beyond a place that suits it.

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. Sow thinly on the surface of a loose, well-drained seed compost, cover lightly, water in gently and keep the tray in a sunny spot with even moisture. Transplant the sturdiest seedlings to their permanent spots and let them develop without disturbance.

Our Take

Chinese Dwarf Cherry settles in quickly once it finds its footing. The medicinal tradition behind this species, outlined above, is a large part of its interest. From then on, routine care is all that is required.

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