Picking Cherries without a LadderPawnee Buttes® Western Sand Cherry, Prunus besseyi ‘Pawnee Buttes’, has a graceful, ground cover form of the western sand cherry.Fragrant, white flowers appear on Pawnee Buttes® in April. During the summer, this shrub produces a heavy crop of black cherries.‘Pawnee Buttes® is one of the hardiest of deciduous shrubs. It matures to a rounded sprawling form of 16-18 inches in height and 6-8 feet in width.The lustrous green leaves turn red to purple in fall.Preferring full sun, it adapts to heat and can be used in hot, dry areas of the landscape. This shrub is also cold tolerant and hardy. It prefers well drained soil, but it will adapt to most soils, including clay. Western Sand Cherry is rarely bothered by insects or diseases. The fruit of this Western Sand Cherry is a sour cherry that is purple to black in color. These cherries can be used in pies and jellies. If they are left on the bush, they will attract birds and wildlife.*White Flowers in April*Black Cherries Attract Wildlife*Sprawling Form and Hardy.
Category: Sand Cherry
Western Sand Cherry
Native Shrub With Sweet FruitWestern Sand Cherry, Prunus besseyi, is a native American shrub which displays attractive, single, white flowers in May. It then produces an abundance of 3/4″ purple-black sweet fruit. They can be eaten fresh, dried, or processed as jellies and pies.This hardy rounded shrub has silver-green foliage. It matures to 6′ with an equal spread. Plant the shrub where it will be in direct sunlight for most or all of the day. Well-drained soil is best, but isn’t a requirement because sand cherry is very adaptable to any type of soil, including poor soil.It makes a great shrub for farmstead windbreaks, patios, specimen plants and accents. The cherries are relished by many birds and the shrub provides a nesting cover for a game and song birds.This shrub can be used as a screen, hedge, or for a border. Prune sand cherry every year in early spring. Remove any dead or weak branches, and trim the tips of branches to maintain the desired shape and size.* Profusion of White Flowers in May* Purple Berries in Late Summer* Native American Shrub.