Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’ – Canada Red Chokecherry

Botanical Name: Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’

Alternate Name: Canadian Chokecherry, Canada Red Cherry

The Canada Red Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’) is a unique and distinguished, small deciduous tree to add to a landscape. It brings interest and color throughout the growing season. It is one of the first trees to leaf out in the spring, providing an early source of food for pollinators. It makes a wonderful lawn tree, providing dappled shade and enough light to come through for turf to survive.

The Canada Red Chokecherry grows in an oval shape with an upright and spreading growth habit and good branch structure. It grows to a height of 25 feet tall and 20 feet wide.

The leaves emerge bright green with a tinge of bronze in the spring, maturing to a deep, rich, maroon color in the summer. The transition from green to purple leaves is a sight to behold when half the tree is still green and half is purple!

The leaf shape is ovate to lanceolate, and they grow up to 5-6 inches long. The bark is an attractive, red-brown color. Small, horizontally displayed lenticels can be seen on the bark surface.

The flowers of the Canada Red Chokecherry appear in April or May. They are very small, white, fragrant flowers that appear on drooping racemes, 3-6 inches long. The blooms are followed by small, red round drupes that ripen to dark purple.