Pin Cherry is a tree that takes about five years to establish — a planting measured in decades, not seasons. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 7. Its mid 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.
Pin Cherry — the short answer
Pin Cherry: grown in zones 3–7, full sun, pH 4.5–7.5, ~5 yr to first harvest.
- USDA zones
- 3–7
- Hardy to zone 3a — NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
- Soil pH
- 4.5–7.5
- FAO ECOCROP
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- To First Harvest
- ~5 yr
- USDA-NRCS
- Frost-kill temp (growing season)
- 23°F
- FAO ECOCROP
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Which pests actually threaten pin cherry where you grow?
Japanese beetle is only documented in part of the country, so the answer depends on where you plant. Enter your location and we'll tell you which one reaches your land — and the move that beats it.
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What Pin Cherry is
Pin Cherry grows as a perennial and reaches around 30 feet at maturity. It blooms white in mid spring.
How to grow Pin Cherry
Pin Cherry grows in USDA zones 3 through 7. Pin 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.
USDA Zones
3-7
Rated hardy to zone 3a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.
Soil pH
4.5 - 7.5
FAO ECOCROP
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
23°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
FAO ECOCROP
Minimum Growing Temperature
44.6°F
Below this it stops growing rather than dies — a pace limit, not a survival limit.
FAO ECOCROP
To First Harvest
~5 years
Pin cherry; native; high chill; seed needs cold strat. ~5 yr from native seedling; succession-stage native.
USDA-NRCS
Mature Height
30 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set pin cherry in full sun with well-drained soil.
Match the soil
Pin 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.
Shape it while it is young
Prune pin cherry only to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches while it is young; it is grown for its form, not a harvest, so little more is needed once it settles in.
Where Pin Cherry thrives
Pin Cherry is hardy across USDA zones 3 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.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 3–7 spans average winter lows from -40°F to 10°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers 23 outright and splits 25 more down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 3–7·Where Pin Cherry growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Pin Cherry stands, state by state
Pin Cherry is rated for zones 3–7 — a cold floor USDA puts at -40 to -30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 23 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 25 more, and 3 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
Fully inside zones 3–7
23 states
3 of 23 shown
The line runs through
25 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- Idaho · zones 3b-8a
- California · zones 4b-11a
3 of 25 shown
Pin Cherry’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Pin Cherry
Growing guides for pin cherry
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — pin cherry is toxic to dogs, 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.)
Pin Cherry is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators.
Your land is one point inside Pin Cherry's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Pin Cherry will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether pin 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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How we know this about Pin Cherry
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Pin Cherry in my zone?
Pin Cherry grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7 (Rated hardy to zone 3a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Pin Cherry?
Set pin cherry out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Pin Cherry need?
Pin 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 Pin Cherry need?
Pin 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 Pin Cherry attract pollinators?
Yes — pin cherry's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Is Pin Cherry safe for pets?
Pin Cherry is toxic to dogs, cats and horses with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Keep exploring Pin Cherry
Pin Cherry state by state
Every state pin cherry's zone reaches — 15 link straight to that state's pin cherry growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.