Known to be toxic - Toxic to mammals if ingested.
Source: OWSL
Plant Names
Prunus pensylvanica
Pin Cherry
Cerisier de Pennsylvanie
Synonyms
bird cherry
fire cherry
wild red cherry
arbre à petites merises
cerisier d'été
cerisier petit-merisier
petit merisier
Plant Characteristics
Bloom Colour: White
Bloom Period: Apr - May
Max Height: 50.0 feet
Max Width: 15.0 feet
Light Condition:
More than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Tolerates medium soil condition
More than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Tolerates medium soil condition
Lifespan:
Perennial
plants that will come back year after year
Gardener Experience:
Self-seeding
Requires stratification
Self-seeding
Requires stratification
Landscape Uses:
Suitable for rock gardens
Suitable for rain gardens
Suitable for rock gardens
Suitable for rain gardens
Ecological Benefits:
No ecological benefits information available.
Tolerates:
Tolerates limestone conditions
Tolerates juglone conditions
Tolerates limestone conditions
Tolerates juglone conditions
Special Features and Considerations:
This plant causes skin rashes
This plant causes skin rashes
Seed and plant distribution status
No seeds available for this plant.
We are not accepting seeds for this plant at the moment.
Plant Location
Native to Ottawa region: Yes
Distribution according to VASCAN
Ephemeral
Native
Introduced
Excluded
Extirpated
Doubtful
Absent
Canadensis
Thrives in Ecozones
- Taiga Plains
- Atlantic Maritime
- Taiga Shield
- Boreal Plains
- Montane Cordillera
- Prairies
- Boreal Shield
- Boreal Cordillera
- Pacific Maritime
- Mixed Wood Plains
Ecological Benefits
Butterflies Supported by Prunus pensylvanica
-
Apatelodes torrefacta
Spotted Apatelodes -
Catocala ultronia
Ultronia Underwing - Likénée du Prunier -
Eupithecia miserulata
American Common Pug -
Hyalophora cecropia
Cecropia moth - Saturnie Cécropia -
Limenitis arthemis ssp. astyanax
Red Spotted Purple -
Lomographa semiclarata
Bluish Spring -
Malacosoma americanum
Eastern Tent Caterpillar - Livrée d'Amérique -
Paonias excaecata
Blinded Sphinx - Sphinx Aveugle -
Papilio canadensis
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail - Papillon Tigré du Canada -
Papilio glaucus
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - Papillon Tigré de l'Est -
Satyrium titus
Coral Hairstreak - Porte-queue Abrogé -
Trichordestra legitima
Striped Garden Caterpillar
Specialized Bees Supported by Prunus pensylvanica
No bee data available for this plant.
Complementary Plants
- No complementary plants found.
Substitute For Non-Native Plants
- Rhamnus cathartica (Common Buckthorn)
- Rhamnus frangula (Glossy Buckthorn)
- Acer japonicum (Japanese Maple)
- Acer platanoides (Norway Maple)
Sowing Information
Download Seed Envelope Labels (PDF)
- Sowing depth: Sow just below surface
- Sow anytime
- Stratification duration: 150 days
- Self-seeding
- Notes: Warm moist stratify 60d, then cold moist stratify 90d.
Harvesting and Seed Sharing
- Harvest start month: July
- Harvesting indicator:
- Berries are ripen and easily fall off or have fallen off
- Harvesting:
- Squeeze berries to extract seeds, wash with soapy water, rinse throroughly
- Seed viability test:
- No test needed before donating
- Packaging measure: Six (6) seeds (eyeball)
- Seed storage:
- Air dry in paper bag or open container, for a few days until crisp
- Shake seeds to move them once in a while to prevent molding
- Cultivar: Yes, do not donate unless you know source, and there are no known cultivars in your garden or at proximity
- No harvesting video available at this time.
Toxicity Notes
Toxic to mammals if ingested.