Tag Archives: Prunus

Double flowering plums (our “northern cherry blossoms!”).

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It’s a bit too cold up here in Alberta to grow the sweet cherry trees you’ll find in warmer climates (we do have gorgeous and delicious hardy sour cherries, however!). We’re not complaining in the least. Especially when the double flowering plums (Prunus triloba ‘Multiplex’) put on a show like they are this spring.

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Double flowering plums stopping traffic in front of  Captain John Palliser Elementary School, Calgary, Alberta

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Chalk one up for having the perseverance and determination to trudge through that fiendishly long winter!  What a beautiful reward!  🙂

 

Do you grow cherry trees or double flowering plums?   

*POST UPDATED MAY 2018 to incorporate a title change and a note about sour cherries.

 

“Sprinter” interest: Amur chokecherry.

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Amur chokecherry FP

I’ve admired the beautiful bronze bark of this Amur chokecherry (Prunus maackii) since I discovered it and three companions a couple months ago on a site near my workplace.  I will be even more impressed once the trees start blooming….

I only have to wait for a couple more weeks, right?  😉  I had to laugh when I heard the season humorously referred to as “Sprinter” – that seems so perfectly apt!  More snow expected here this weekend….

Do you grow chokecherries or any other Prunus species?  Which ones are your favourites?

Sunday spotlight: Mayday.

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The crabapples in my neighbourhood are just on the verge of exploding into blossom, but at the moment, it’s time for the Maydays to shine.  Although my nasty seasonal allergies make it difficult for me to take any sort of joy in their heavy, sweet fragrance and massive production of pollen, there is absolutely no doubt about the beauty of these trees while in full bloom – they are absolutely incredible!

Maydays (Prunus padus) are also commonly known as European bird cherries or common bird cherries, as birds are really attracted to the small, bitter black fruits that appear in early autumn.  In addition to the splendid spring blossoms, Maydays also possess exceptional fall colour, featuring brilliant yellow leaves.   They are a great selection for urban landscapes, with a rounded crown and a fairly modest height (9 metres) and spread (7.5 metres); Maydays are also highly tolerant of pollution.

Are you growing any species of Prunus in your garden?  What are your favourites?  

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