Amur Chokecherry

The Amur Chokecherry, Prunus maackii, is a small tree that produces white flowers and black fruit, usually eaten by birds before fully ripe. The outstanding exfoliating bark is golden brown to dark red with a glistening metallic color, which gives an excellent winter effect and landscape interest. Clumps will have two or more stems. It does best in moist, well drained soil high in organic matter, but it is also moderately salt tolerant. This tree has a moderate growth rate and can be grown as a single or multi trunked tree. Amur has a pyramidal shape when young that becomes rounded with age. Pruning out the lower branches allows the attractive bark to be more visible when in leaf. Use as a specimen tree in areas where it can be appreciated for the bark and silhouette in winter. It is ideal for the small yard because of its smaller size. Its name comes from the Amur River that flows for 1,000 miles as the natural boundary between China and Russia.