Plant Details

Prunus cerasus

Sour cherry

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Common names

48 names · 35 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Sour cherry[1]
Other languages (34)
Dutch
  • morel
  • Waal
  • Zure kers[1]
French
  • Cerisier acide[1]
  • Cerisier aigre
  • Cerisier vrai[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
  • Griottier[1]
  • Prunier cerisier[1]
Arabic
  • كرز حامض[1]
Armenian
  • Բալենի սովորական[1]
Belarusian
  • Вішня звычайная[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲酸樱桃[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲酸櫻桃[1]
Czech
  • višeň obecná[1]
Danish
  • Sur-kirsebær[1]
Esperanto
Estonian
  • hapu kirsipuu[1]
  • harilik kirsipuu[1]
Finnish
  • hapankirsikka[1]
German
  • Sauerkirsche[1]
  • Weichsel[1]
  • Weichselkirsche[1]
Hebrew
  • דובדבן חמוץ[1]
Hill Mari
  • вишньопка[1]
  • вишнёпка[1]
Hungarian
Italian
Japanese
  • サンカオウトウ[1]
Korean
  • 신양벚나무[1]
Kurdish
  • هاڵەبەڵاڵوک[1]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji vyšnia[1]
Norwegian
Persian
  • آلبالو[1]
Polish
  • Wiśnia pospolita[1]
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
  • Вишня обыкновенная[1]
Slovak
  • višňa obyčajná[1]
Spanish
Swedish
  • Surkörsbär[1]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Вишня звичайна[1]
Welsh
  • Coeden geirios coch[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Prunus cerasus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Sour Cherry — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • آلبالو — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • דובדבן חמוץ — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • višeň obecná — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Sur-kirsebær — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Zure kers — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • hapu kirsipuu — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • harilik kirsipuu — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cerisier acide — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • kirsebær — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ginjeira — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • hapankirsikka — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Вишня обыкновенная — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Wiśnia pospolita — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Surkörsbär — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cereza — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ĉerizo — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Paprastoji vyšnia — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Բալենի սովորական — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • サンカオウトウ — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • 欧洲酸樱桃 — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ciliegio aspro — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Amareno — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Marasco — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • 歐洲酸櫻桃 — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • vişne — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • 신양벚나무 — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Vișin — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Вишня звичайна — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Вішня звычайная — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • كرز حامض — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • meggy — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • вишньопка — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • вишнёпка — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Griottier — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cerisier vrai — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Prunier cerisier — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • višňa obyčajná — results[1].names[39]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Coeden geirios coch — results[1].names[40]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • هاڵەبەڵاڵوک — results[1].names[41]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • guindo — results[1].names[42]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Guinder — results[1].names[43]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Sauerkirsche — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Weichselkirsche — results[1].names[45]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Weichsel — results[1].names[46]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.

General information

Scientific name: Prunus cerasus
Accepted name (Kew): Prunus cerasus L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [3]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Prunus (WCVP v16).

Sources [3]
Also known as: Sour cherry
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 4–8 m

RHS ultimate size range in UK growing conditions; cultivar, rootstock and pruning affect size.

Sources [4]
Spread: 4–8 m

RHS ultimate size range in UK growing conditions; cultivar, rootstock and pruning affect size.

Sources [4]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [1]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [1]
Growth habit: Erect, Rounded

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [1]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [1]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [1]
Soil:
High Organic Matter
Sources [1]
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun
Sources [1]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit flesh

Fruit flesh only. Remove seeds or stones; do not chew or eat the kernels.

Sources [1] [2]
Edibility rating:
(1)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Adhesive, Dye, Gum, Hedge, Oil

Description

Prunus cerasus is a deciduous tree producing sour fruit that can be eaten fresh or cooked. Remove the stones and do not eat the kernels.

Sources [1] [2]

Harvest

Harvest starts: 20/06
Harvest ends: 10/08

Crown

Crown shape: Broadly rounded
Sources [1]
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox Prunus cerasus
    Supports: DescriptionEdible partsCrown shapeGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Description; Whole Plant Traits; Edibility; Poison Symptoms and Toxic Principle, where applicable
    • Edible parts: Edibility; Poison Symptoms; Poison Part
    • Crown shape: Description: crown architecture
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .

  2. Canadian Food Inspection Agency Natural toxins in fresh fruit and vegetables
    Supports: DescriptionEdible parts
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Apricot kernels and seeds of apples and pears; stone-fruit kernels
    • Edible parts: Apricot kernels and seeds of apples and pears; stone-fruit kernels

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 343710; name ID 2958711; Prunus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 346191; name ID 2959193; Prunus cerasus L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  4. Royal Horticultural Society Prunus cerasus — RHS Plant Profile
    Supports: HeightSpread
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Size > Max Height
    • Spread: Size > Max Spread

    Source checked on .