Mother Nature's Montrose Garden: Plant of the Month (July) : Western Sand Cherry

Western Sand Cherry - Prunus pumila var. besseyi

July marks the beginning of the summer bloom season. It’s also the month when some of the early native fruits begin to ripen. One such plant is the Western Sand Cherry, Prunus pumila var. besseyi. The scientific name is pronounced PROO-nus poo-MILL-uh BESS-ee-eye. An older name for this plant, still sometimes seen in writings and in the nursery trade, is Prunus besseyi.

Western Sand Cherry is a true cherry, in the same genus as the plums, cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and almonds. The species name pumila means dwarf; this is really a species of small plum. The variety name honors Charles Edwin Bessey (1845-1915), American botanist and professor of botany, author of many botany publications and developer of a system of plant classification ‘based on evolutionary divergence from primitive forms’. [1] Other common names for the Sand Cherry are Great Lakes Sand Cherry, Rocky Mountain Cherry, Sand Cherry, Bessey Cherry and Hansen's Bush Cherry.

Prunus pumila grows from Montana south to Utah, then east to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and the Canadian Provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. [1] Variety besseyi grows on the hot, dry plains east of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. In Colorado, it can be found wild in Larimer, Denver, Sedgewick, Yuma, Morgan and Boulder counties. [2]

Growing between 3,500 to 6,500 feet (1,050-1,900 m), Western Sand Cherry commonly inhabits sandy, gravelly, and rocky soils. It is also found on dunes, beaches, and outwash plains. Sand Cherry tolerates soils challenging to other plants: calcareous, saline, or serpentine soils, as well as soils with pH ranging from 4.0 to 8.5. Natural sites are typically dry and extremely well drained, but this plant is quite tolerant of garden conditions.

Western Sand Cherry is a winter-deciduous shrub with usual height and width of 4-6 ft (1-2 meters), although some plants may reach 10-12 ft. under optimal conditions. Plants are suckering, and increase in width over time. Young plants have an open, relaxed form that becomes denser with age. The plants are fast growing, but reported to be short-lived, at least in the garden (20-25 years).

Branches are slender (to about ¾ inch diameter) with red or reddish-brown bark. Branches arch with the weight of developing fruit. Leaves are simple, alternate, 1½ to 2½ inches long. The leaf blade is narrowly elliptic or obovate, with a pointed tip. Leaves are glossy, medium-green above and pale beneath. The leaf margins are finely toothed and there are a pair of narrow stipules at the base of each leaf (see above). This characteristic, along with the leaf shape and color are reminiscent of willows growing in hot, dry climates (for example, the Arroyo Willow, Salix lasiolepis).

Western Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila var. besseyi): in bloom

Western Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila var. besseyi):
close-up of flowers

Western Sand Cherry is an early bloomer, with flowers appearing in April or May in most areas. In our part of Western Colorado (Montrose), flowering is almost always in April. The flowers occur on last year’s new wood. Generally, 2-4 flowers grow in a cluster, each flower on a slender stalk (above). The flowers themselves are white, with five egg-shaped petals and many yellow-green stamens (male plant part). The flowers are about ½ inch (1 cm) across and sweetly scented. Blooming plants are showy. For some good flower pictures see references 1 and 3, below.

Sand Cherries are insect pollinated, primarily by bees, and are self-fertile (you only need one plant for fruits). The fruits are 1/3 to ½ inch in diameter and look like shiny cherries. The fruits begin small, green and oblong. They develop color and rounded shape in June and July. The color changes from green to red; ripe fruits are a dark purple-red – almost black (below). Fruits become soft as they ripen and ripe fruits easily detach from the stem.

If you want another clue that fruits are ready, watch your fruit eating-birds (like robins). They will try to beat you to the ripe cherries (below). Fruits don’t all ripen at once. In our garden, we pick ripe fruits over a 2-3 week period, washing and freezing fruits for later use. Fruits become sweeter as they ripen. That being said, Sand Cherries have a tart, astringent tang.

Like all cherries (and other pome fruits in the genus Prunus), the seeds (pits) of Sand Cherries contain hydrocyanic acid, which is toxic. Pits should not be eaten and must be removed if cherries are to be used fresh or in baked goods. Sand Cherries are often used to make jelly, syrup or sauces. For these uses, Sand Cherry juice can be prepared by simmering the cherries in a little water. The pits and skins can then be easily separated from the juice. For more ideas on using and preserving summer fruits see http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2016/08/california-gourmet-preserving-summer.html.

Western Sand Cherry is an easy shrub to grow if you live anywhere from Utah and Montana to the Great Lakes (USDA Zones 3a-6b). It tolerates most garden soil types except those with very poor drainage. It has a wide soil pH tolerance range: 4.0-8.5. It does best in full sun, and can take hot, dry conditions. It tolerates some shade, but flowering and fruiting will be diminished.

Sand Cherries are drought-resistant once established. Like other large native shrubs, Sand Cherries take 2-3 years to become established, particularly in hot, dry and windy gardens like ours in Montrose CO. Baby new plants with a little extra water while they are establishing a good root system. Then plants probably do best with 2-3 monthly deep waterings.

Prunus pumila is susceptible to powdery mildew in climates damper than ours. If you have gophers and other rodents you may need to protect young plants from these critters. Other than that, this is a very hardy, healthy plant that requires almost no care, given room to spread out.

There are many reasons why Western Sand Charry has been a garden favorite since 1756. [4] It’s a fast-growing, hardy shrub that tolerates blazing hot sun and cold winters. It is used in revegetation and restoration projects. In fact, it has been used as a rootstock for other fruits and as a parent for hybridization because of its amazing toughness and wide tolerances [for more on this, see reference 5, below]. The purple sandcherry (Prunus × cistena), a cross between sandcherry and cherry plum (P. cerasifera), is a popular ornamental shrub with colorful purple foliage.

Both the flowers and fruits are showy, making this an attractive specimen or hedge plant. It’s nice enough looking to be grown in the front yard! It’s also a good choice for a windbreak or for erosion control. In our garden, we’ve included it in our flowering shrub border (also known as a mixed hedgerow). The leaves and fruits can be used to make natural dyes. And Sand Cherries are very popular with the native pollinators and fruit-eating birds, making them great additions to the habitat garden. The fruits are so popular that you may need to net your plants to keep the birds from taking all your fruit.

Of course, the fruits are a big plus for the home edibles gardener. This is a good alternative to horticultural tart cherries. The fruits are prized for pies, jellies, jams, syrups and even wines and kitchen cordials. You can puree the fruits and use the puree in deserts and to make fruit leathers. For more on making fruit purees see: https://mothernaturesmontrosegarden.blogspot.com/2019/11/colorado-gourmet-making-fruit-purees.html. For some desserts using fruit purees see: https://mothernaturesmontrosegarden.blogspot.com/2019/12/.

The excellent qualities of Western Sand Cherry have inspired the development of several horticultural cultivars. ‘Pawnee Buttes’, which grows only 1-3 ft. tall, makes an excellent and ornamental groundcover. It’s widely available and planted in many areas. 'Black Beauty' has small sweet fruits and 'Hansens' (also widely available) has large fruits known for their flavor.

Whether you choose the native species or a cultivar, Western Sand Cherry is a shrub to consider for the home garden. It combines beauty and usefulness in a shrub whose size is perfect for many gardens. Is there a place in your garden for this adaptable plant?