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Sargent's cherry

Prunus sargentii

Common names:
Sargent's cherry

Content Detail

Sargent’s cherry is one of the hardier, more adaptable, and attractive cherry trees for the Midwest. The tree has beautiful pink flowers in early spring and shiny green foliage that turns bronze to red in fall.

  • Family (English) Rose
  • Family (botanic) Rosaceae
  • Planting site Residential and parks, Wide median
  • Tree or plant type Tree
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Non-native
  • Size range Medium tree (25-40 feet), Large tree (more than 40 feet)
  • Mature height 40-50 feet
  • Mature width 40-50 feet
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7
  • Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
  • Tolerances Alkaline soil, Road salt
  • Season of interest early spring, early fall
  • Flower color and fragrance Pink
  • Shape or form Vase-shaped
  • Growth rate Fast, Moderate
  • Transplants well Yes
  • Planting considerations May be difficult to find in nurseries
  • Wildlife Insect pollinators
  • Has cultivars Yes

More Information

Native Geographic Location and Habitat  

Sargent’s cherry is native to Japan and Korea.

Bark Color and Texture

Attractive reddish to chestnut brown shiny bark ages to gray.

Leaf or Needle Arrangement, Size, Shape, and Texture 

Alternate, simple, deciduous leaves have serrate margins. Leaves are obovate in shape and 3 to 5 inches long. Purplish new growth turns dark green in summer then to a bronze to red fall color.

Flower Arrangement, Shape, and Size

Showy, single pink flowers are up to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Fruit, cone, nut, and Seed Descriptions

A 1/2 inch red to black cherry (drupe) matures in mid-summer.

Care Knowledge

Plant Care

Plant in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil. Sargent’s cherry is pH adaptable and tolerant of windy sites but not air pollution.

List of Pests, Diseases, and Tolerances  

Black knot is a common fungal disease. Eastern tent caterpillar commonly attacks this tree. Other possible problems include canker diseases, leaf spots, borers, aphids, and scale.

Cultivars

Pink Flair® Sargent’s cherry (Prunus sargentii ‘JFS-KW58’):  

A narrow, upright cultivar growing 25 feet high and 15 feet wide. This cultivar flowers one to two weeks later than the species and sports good, red-orange fall color.

Photo Gallery (5)

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