If you are an old-time, conservative horticulturist, you will probably choke at the thought of the native western chokecherry.
Prunus virginiana demissa, is a very worthwhile shrub or small tree. You’ll say, “Oh no, not that, chokecherry takes the place.” I do not think it does.
After five years of observing several clumps of 15-year-old plantings in shrubby thickets, hedges, and trees, I find they are not taking place, not going anywhere either up or out, now that they are mature.
Young stock will grow as much as 5’ feet a year once it has become established and will put out limited sucker growth. But is this bad when you want a hedge?
When I first asked this western native at local nurseries for use in landscaping a client’s yard, my request met with the same resistance.
“Oh no, no, don’t use that even if you want something quick. We believe Chinese elm, Russian olive, etc., are much better.”
Speaking of taking the place, name me anything more miserable and less adventuresome than Chinese elm.
Hardy Wester Chokecherry
This is what you can expect of the western chokecherry. It will not let you down. Being a native, it is hardy in the temperamental high-altitude regions of the Rocky Mountains.
Bailey’s Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture mentions Washington, Oregon, and California and probably eastward as regions of its native habitat.
It will withstand drought and neglect to the extent that the foliage does not wilt and droop when it does not receive irrigation or maintenance watering.
It grows in the sun or shade and does not seem to be particular about soil.
Now it might be that the western chokecherry would become as rampant a grower as the chokecherry.
Prunus Virginiana’s Features
Prunus Virginiana should suddenly find itself in foot-deep topsoil in a moist climate, but rapid growth cannot be considered a fault when a shrub is located correctly.
The shiny, dark green, heavy leaves are somewhat silvery underneath, giving the shrub a broad-leaved evergreen appearance during the summer.
Creamy white clusters of flowers in the spring are not pleasantly fragrant for bouquets but not objectionable outdoors.
Attracts Birds
When fully ripe, clusters of fruits turning wine red to deep purple-black are unpalatable and bitter to eat raw.
However, they attract birds to the bush and adults for picking because they make delicious jelly.
Bailey again remarks that it is “considered by many to be worthy of improvement as a fruit plant.”
Beautiful Scarlet Foliage
The foliage begins to turn a beautiful scarlet by mid-September.
Thus the completeness of the western chokecherry —hardy; good for hedge, screen, or thicket: spring flowering; usable fruit and excellent autumn foliage color.
44659 by Marion Black Williams