Plant · P-394

Sand Cherry

Prunus pumila

Sand Cherry is a low, sprawling shrub that binds loose dune and sand-bar ground with a dense mat of root suckers. Its small, richly acid drupes are eaten raw, cooked, dried or preserved, and a related variety produces a sweeter, larger fruit. It flowers early and is singled out as especially valuable to native bees. Full sun is non-negotiable for a crop - in shade it survives but does not fruit - and it does best in a hot, dry climate with sharp drainage rather than humid heat, which brings on canker and short-lived stands.