St. Lucie cherry
5
1
3Will it grow where I live?
St. Lucie cherry is hardy to zone 5 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 5 upwards.
Or check it for your location right here:
Profile
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Height
- 7.5 m
- Spread
- 6 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 60 years
- First yield
- after 4 years
- Hardiness
- zone 5–9
- Shade tolerance
- full shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- dry – moist
- pH
- 6.5 – 8.5
Flowering & harvest
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowering |
Uses
⚠️ Hazards
Toxic kernels and leaves, toxic to dogs, cats and horses As in all Prunus species, the seeds, leaves and bark contain cyanogenic glycosides that release hydrogen cyanide when chewed or crushed. A single intact stone swallowed by accident is harmless, larger quantities of chewed kernels are not, and home-made kernel extracts are best avoided. The same plant parts are considered toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The flesh of the fruit itself is harmless. The gum that exudes from wounds indicates pruning at the wrong time of year, not a hazard.
Frequently asked questions
St. Lucie cherry: how big does it get?
St. Lucie cherry (Prunus mahaleb) grows as a Tree and reaches roughly 7.5 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 6 m. Growth is medium.
St. Lucie cherry: what site does it need?
St. Lucie cherry tolerates full shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range dry – moist. The pH may lie between 6.5 and 8.5.
St. Lucie cherry: is it hardy?
St. Lucie cherry is listed as hardy in zone 5–9 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
St. Lucie cherry: will it grow in Central Europe?
St. Lucie cherry is hardy to zone 5 – that covers all of Central Europe and the British Isles, and every USDA zone from 5 upwards.
St. Lucie cherry: when does it flower?
In a temperate northern-hemisphere climate it flowers from May to June.
St. Lucie cherry: is it poisonous?
No toxicity is recorded for St. Lucie cherry. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone — only on a confident identification.
St. Lucie cherry: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Edible 5/10, Medicinal 1/10, Other uses 3/10.
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Community experience
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