Plant Details

Prunus tomentosa

Nanking cherry

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Common names

21 names · 16 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Chinese bush cherry[2]
  • Nanking cherry[1][2]
Other languages (15)
Dutch
  • dwergkers
  • Nanking kers
  • sierkers
French
  • Cerisier de Nankin
  • cerisier tomenteux[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • višeň plstnatá[2]
Danish
  • kinesisk kirsebær[2]
Estonian
  • vilt-kirsipuu[2]
Finnish
  • nukkakirsikka[2]
Japanese
  • ユスラウメ[2]
Korean
  • 앵도나무[2]
  • 앵두나무[2]
Lithuanian
  • Veltininė kryklė[2]
Russian
  • Вишня войлочная[2]
Slovak
  • čerešňa plstnatá[2]
Swedish
  • luddkörsbär[2]
Ukrainian
  • Вишня повстиста[2]
Sources & name notes (2)

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] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Prunus tomentosa Thunb. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Nanking cherry — VernacularName.tsv, line 168472; taxon 4N99T.
[2] Prunus tomentosa — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Nanking Cherry — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • cerisier tomenteux — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • vilt-kirsipuu — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • Вишня войлочная — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • višeň plstnatá — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • ユスラウメ — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • Chinese bush cherry — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • Veltininė kryklė — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • luddkörsbär — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • 毛樱桃 — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • 毛櫻桃 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • 앵도나무 — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • kinesisk kirsebær — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • Вишня повстиста — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • 앵두나무 — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • nukkakirsikka — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.
  • čerešňa plstnatá — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 167472; Prunus tomentosa.

General information

Scientific name: Prunus tomentosa
Accepted name (Kew): Prunus tomentosa Thunb. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

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

Sources [1]
Also known as: Nanking cherry
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 1.83–3.05 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 1.83–4.57 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [3]
Growth habit: Dense, Irregular, Multi-stemmed

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

Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b

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

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Clay, Loam (Silt)
Sources [3]
pH:
Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Leaves, Seed
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
Dye

Description

Fruit - eaten raw or cooked. It is juicy and has a lightly sweet taste. Unripe fruits can be canned. The fruit is about 12 mm in diameter and contains a large seed. The seed can be eaten raw or cooked, but if it tastes too bitter, do not eat it due to its toxicity. The buds are prepared and eaten. (This refers to the flower or leaf buds).

Harvest

Harvest starts: 15/07
Harvest ends: 15/09

Sources and references

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

Sources checked
  1. 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 319514; name ID 2962226; Prunus tomentosa Thunb..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Prunus tomentosa

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1041971, ID 4N99T: Prunus tomentosa Thunb. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Prunus tomentosa — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .