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Outstanding Features:
Planted for its reddish purple foliage.
Description:
Height: 15-20'
Width: 10-15'
Hardiness Zone: 3a
Canada Red Chokecherry can be grown as a single or multi-stemmed small tree or large shrub. Plants available from nurseries are usually trained to tree form. The distinguishing feature of Canada Red Chokecherry is its purple foliage color. New leaves emerge green and turn purple as they mature. Small white flowers in hanging clusters 3-5" long are produced in May. The edible fruits are small, reddish-purple, and relished by birds. Tree form is upright oval. Plants naturally form many root suckers. Thus the plants develop into thickets if new suckers are not removed.
Requirements and Culture:
Requires a well drained soil. Foliage color
and plant form develop best in full sun. Mow around plants to eliminate
root suckers unless a thicket is desired. Prune at an early age
to develop into a single trunk tree if that form is desired.
Frequent pruning of suckers is required to
maintain a single trunk form.
Limitations:
Subject to black knot disease which frequently
disfigures many of the branches. Not tolerant of poorly drained
soils. Suckering may create a problem.
Selected Cultivars:
'Schubert' - is an older cultivar
that is very similar to 'Canada Red'
Photo Credit: 1
E. Hasselkus; 2 Bailey Nurseries, Inc.; 3 MLA. Photograph 1 is 'Schubert'
Minnesota Power | University of Minnesota | Northern
States Power Company
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CANADA RED CHOKECHERRY Prunus virginiana 'Canada Red'