Also known as Cherry / Plum · 2.4k gardener saves
Prunus: the varieties gardeners actually grow
Prunus, the genus most gardeners know as cherry / plum. We track 71 varieties; these are the ones gardeners actually save and plant, ranked by real saves rather than catalog marketing. Each links to full care, bloom, and live price data.
The 12 most-saved Prunus varieties
Of 71 in the catalog — ordered by how many gardeners actually grow them.
#1 most savedBlack Cherry
Prunus serotina
#2 most savedSugar Plum
Prunus domestica 'Sugar Plum'
#3 most savedJapanese Flowering Cherry
Prunus serrulata
Feiching Tao White Peach
Prunus persica 'Feiching Tao White'
Sweet Cherry
Prunus avium 'Mix'
Hale Haven Peach
Prunus persica 'Hale Haven'
Cherry Plum
Prunus cerasifera
Peach Ruby Ruffle
Prunus persica 'Ruby Ruffle'
Snow White Peach
Prunus persica 'Snow White'
Juliet Cherry
Prunus cerasus 'Juliet'
Silver Maple
Prunus saccharinum
Shirofugen Cherry
Prunus serrulata 'Shirofugen'
Browse all 71 Prunus varieties →
How to grow Prunus
What the Prunus varieties in our catalog actually agree on — drawn from the care records of the 40 most-grown of them, not from a generic template.
The Prunus year
- PruneJanuary100% of varieties
Heavy dormant pruning to open canopy and remove dead wood.
- FertilizeFebruary and March83% of varieties
Apply balanced fertilizer before bloom and again in late spring.
- Check for PestsApril–June73% of varieties
Monitor for peach tree borer, aphids, and brown rot.
- HarvestJune–August55% of varieties
Pick fruit when skin color develops and flesh yields slightly.
- Spray TreatmentJanuary and February53% of varieties
Apply dormant oil/fungicide for peach leaf curl before buds swell.
- MulchMarch45% of varieties
Refresh mulch layer around the base of the tree.
- PlantFebruary, March, September and October43% of varieties
Plant in spring or fall in well-drained soil.
Do
- Water deeply during dry spells 🌱
- Monitor regularly for pests and diseases
- Provide consistent water, especially during fruit development.
- Monitor for pests regularly
- Mulch to conserve moisture and regulate soil temperature
Avoid
- Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot ❌
- Avoid overwatering which can cause root rot ❌
- Overwater to prevent root rot ❌
- Do not fertilize late in the season
What goes wrong with Prunus
| Problem | What you'll see | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Aphids | Sticky residue and distorted leaves | Use insecticidal soap or neem oil |
| Peach Tree Borer | Wilting and dieback | Apply organic borer traps and proper sanitation |
| Cherry Fruit Fly | Small maggots inside the ripening fruit, causing it to rot. | Hang yellow sticky traps to monitor for adults. Apply spinosad or other approved insecticides starting when flies emerge. |
| Peach Tree Borers | D-shaped holes in trunk | Apply organic borer traps and avoid deep planting |
| Brown Rot | Rotting fruit and blossom blight | Prune affected areas and use fungicide |
| Black Knot | Hard, black, swollen galls form on branches and twigs. | Prune out and destroy infected branches in winter, cutting several inches below the gall. Apply fungicides in spring. |
| Peach Leaf Curl | Red or yellow curling leaves | Apply copper fungicide in late winter |
Making more Prunus
Grafting
- Select healthy scions and rootstocks, 4 weeks before planting.
- Make matching cuts on both scion and rootstock.
- Join with grafting tape and secure tightly.
- Keep grafted plant in a warm, moist environment for 6 weeks until established.
Seed
- Extract seeds from ripe fruit and clean
- Stratify in moist compost for 8-12 weeks
- Plant in prepared soil and water regularly
Prunus questions
How many types of Prunus are there?
The Sow catalog tracks 71 distinct Prunus varieties. The most popular — ranked by 2.4k real gardener saves — are shown first above.
What zones does Prunus grow in?
Across its varieties, Prunus covers USDA Zones 4–10. Individual varieties differ — each plant page lists its exact range, and Sow filters the catalog to your zone automatically.
When does Prunus bloom?
Most Prunus varieties bloom in late spring, early spring, mid-spring. Staggering early, mid, and late varieties extends the genus's season in one bed.
Which Prunus should I choose?
Start from the most-saved varieties above — popularity across thousands of gardens is a strong signal of reliability — then filter by your zone and sun. In the Sow app you can preview any of them in a photo of your actual yard before you buy.
Keep exploring
More on Prunus
Prunus shows up in
By hardiness zone
Related genera
Design with Prunus in your own yard
Snap a photo of your space and see these varieties planted in it — sized correctly, matched to your zone, with care reminders included.
