Cherry - Wild (Prunus avium)

Our range of Wild Cherry bare root plants (Prunus avium)

We have bare root Wild Cherry for hedging or to grow as trees in several specifications.  Wild Cherry grows well from seed so the 1+0 specification plants are sown from seed in spring and are ready to be sold by the following November and we sell them through the dormant season until April ie they are one year old.  We have various height options and all of these plants are grown by us in Herefordshire.

We are delighted to be able to offer Prunus avium UK orchard seed which is the best possible seed for tree saplings that are to be grown on to produce timber, and in addition we have UK seed provenance and the highest quality imported seed so if the seed provenance is important to you, please give us a call so that we can allocate the correct batch.

We also have cell grown Wild Cherry plants which are grown by one of the UK's best specialist growers and these plants are available all year round.

All of these plants are suitable for hedging or can be allowed to grow to full size trees for woodland creation schemes or productive woodlands.

Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) Summary

One of the prettiest native woodland trees, covered in clusters of fragrant white flowers in spring and bitter red cherries which are eaten by birds (from which the word “avium” in the Latin name is derived) which disperses the seeds.  It also has decent autumn colour in tints of orange and gold.  Wild cherry is the parent of many of the named varieties of flowering cherry tree developed in Europe (not the Japanese varieties).

Wild cherry is a long living, medium sized tree, with a rounded crown, ideal for planting in mixed woodlands or hedging.  The timber is used in furniture making.

Soil and Situation

Good on any free draining, fertile soils in a sunny situation.

Leaves, fruit and flowers

Flowers are profuse, scented, greenish white and held in large clusters – absolutely gorgeous and almost as showy as many of the cultivated varieties of flowering cherry tree but with the benefit of being a true native tree.   After pollination, the flowers develop into red cherries (tinged with orange), which are a food source for blackbirds, thrushes and small mammals.

The leaves are quite large (the larges can be up to 15cm long) with a pointed tip, a symmetrical oval shape and are finely toothed.  The autumn colour on these large leaves is very striking.

Eventual height and growth rate

The normal height would be up to 20m but occasionally can be taller.  Growth rate is average (about 60cm pa).

This section gives definitions on the specifications of plants that we sell.  We are specialists in field grown (or bare root) plants which are grown in two ways.  The majority are grown from seed, some are ready within one growing season (seedlings or 1+0's) and some species require two growing seasons (1u1's).  In addition to growing from seed we also grow from small plants or cuttings (transplants) which are much more widely spaced (taking more land, more irrigation water, fertilisers and labour).  There are only a handful of bare root wholesale nurseries in the UK and of those even fewer grow transplants but Ray Jenkins has many years' experience of transplanting so we grow these in large volumes.  Ray has written this blog about the benefits of bare root plants and how they are grown and another blog which gives further detail on bare root specifications.

The detailed specifications are shown below.  If you are in doubt about what specification to use please email us on enquiries@rjtreesandhedging.co.uk with a description of the project (and photos if appropriate) and we will advise you.

1+0 - field grown in one season from seed, known as a seedling (sometimes called a whip), generally a slender single stem plant.   These are the cheapest specification and are particularly suitable for planting where weed competition will be less intense, soil is shallow or on exposed windy sites.  Gives a high root to shoot ratio and minimal plant "check".

2+0 - a 2 year seedling, field grown from seed in the same seed bed in two growing seasons where the species cannot be grown to a saleable plant from seed in one season

1U1 - 2 year old plant called an undercut, field grown for two seasons in the same seed bed and undercut by machine (a sharp blade cutting the roots under the soil level) after the first year to develop the root structure. We do this with several species which take 2 years to develop (eg oak, beech, hornbeam)

1+1 - 2 year old plant (transplant) grown from seed in the first year and then transplanted into a different area of the field and spaced out for the second growing season - a robust plant with a larger and more robust root system than seedling or undercut plant which will enable it to better withstand drought and weed competition. Often the best choice and the staple norm for farm hedging and this specification is a requirement of the Countryside Stewardship Grant

1+2- a 3 year old plant, two years field growing in the seedbed and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further two growing seasons giving a tall, stocky, bushy plant

2+1- a 3 year old plant, two years field growing in the seedbed and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further growing season, giving a strong bushy plant

3+1 - as above but field grown for a further growing season for more height and a very bushy plant

1+3- 4 year old, one year field growing in the seed beds and then transplanted (and spaced out) for three years, giving a very strong, bushy plant

2+2- 4 year old, two years field growing in the seed beds and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further two years - a very mature plant suited to certain species like beech and hornbeam where we can offer almost instant hedging

and some that are a bit different.....

P9 - a plant grown in a greenhouse or polytunnel in a 9cm pot (for holly which germinates poorly in the field)

Cell grown - a plant grown in small deep cells (like a small yogurt pot) and then lifted out of those for transportation. Commonly used in forestry and large hedging projects.  Very high quality plants with excellent success rate.  See our blog on the benefits of cell grown plants.

C+1 or C+2 - a 3 or 4 year old plant initally started as hardwood cuttings grown on for a year as cell grown plants and then lined out in fields to grow on for a further 1 or 2 years (a technique used for Cherry Laurel)

0/1 - a hardwood cutting, then field grown for one season (for example for white willow, black poplar and osier)