Nanking Cherry is a perennial grown for its white blooms, which open in late spring and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 2 through 7 and shrugs off deer. Its late spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies. It roots deep, which helps it reach moisture in a dry spell and open up tight soil as it establishes.
Zones
2-7
pH Range
4.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
To First Harvest
~2 yr
Score Nanking Cherry on your exact land.
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What Nanking Cherry is
Nanking Cherry grows as a perennial and reaches around ten feet at maturity. It blooms white in late spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Nanking Cherry
Nanking Cherry grows in USDA zones 2 through 7. Nanking Cherry does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs a growing season of at least 240 frost-free days and about 800 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
2-7
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
44.6°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
To First Harvest
~2 years
Nanking cherry; cold-hardy ornamental edible; seed needs cold strat. ~2 yr from rooted cutting; bush cherry.
USDA-NRCS
Mature Height
10 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Chill Hours
800+
Winter hours below ~45°F it needs to fruit — too-mild winters can leave it bloom-shy.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
240+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant nanking cherry in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Nanking Cherry prefers pH 4.5 to 7.5 (FAO ECOCROP). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut nanking cherry blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — nanking cherry is toxic to dogs and cats and horses (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Nanking Cherry is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators.
Where Nanking Cherry thrives
Nanking Cherry is hardy across USDA zones 2 through 7. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 2–7·Where Nanking Cherry growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Nanking Cherry can grow in these states:
See if Nanking Cherry will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether nanking cherry actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Nanking Cherry in my zone?
Nanking Cherry grows in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 7 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Nanking Cherry?
Most growers plant nanking cherry after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 240-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Nanking Cherry need?
Nanking Cherry needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Nanking Cherry need?
Nanking Cherry prefers soil pH 4.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Nanking Cherry attract pollinators?
Yes — nanking cherry's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Is Nanking Cherry safe for pets?
Nanking Cherry is toxic to pets (dogs,cats,horses) with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)