Afghan Cherry is a dwarf to medium-sized shrub in the rose family native to Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Tibet where it is typically found in stony mountain slopes and shrubby thickets. At maturity, the shrub will reach a height of 12 feet. In the spring, showy fragrant shell pink flowers with red centers appear. These are followed by tart red cherries and, later, by foliage color in autumn. Plant in the full sun to maximize flowers and fruit. Afghan Cherry tolerates a wide range of soil types as long as there is good drainage. It does not tolerate standing water. Once established, the shrub is drought tolerant. Prune it in late winter when there is no threat of frost. Mass plant it and use it as a hedge or screen. It tolerates urban conditions well. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests. Resistant to several of the diseases common to cherries. Dropped fruits can be messy. More information on Prunus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
Mature size
Height: 5 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed; Spreading
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Slender leaves are elliptical or obovate, pointed at both ends, 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide, glabrous, sharply and regularly toothed. The leaves on the flowering spurs are shorter and narrower than on the extension growths. Outstanding yellow fall color.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Pink; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower shape
Funnel
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Shell pink, 5-petaled flowers with red centers appear in early spring before leaves. One to three flowers at each joint, 1/3 to 1/2 inch in diameter, with short, pointed lobes. It is self-pollinating so does not need another cherry tree to produce fruit.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Plum purple drupes in mid-summer. Fruits roundish, 5/8 of an inch long, red, juicy, containing a roundish stone.
Stem color
Gray/Silver
Stem detail
glabrous, slender, gray branchlets.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Afghanistant, India, Pakistan and Tibet.
Wildlife value
This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north. Fruits attract birds.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Drupe
Edibility
Fruit is fleshy and juicy with a pleasant taste. Avoid any fruit from the genus Prunus if it has a bitter taste.
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Hedge; Mass Planting; Screen/Privacy
Garden tags
#deciduous shrub #deciduous #showy flowers #pink flowers #flowers early spring #red fruits #messy fruits #spring flowers #dwarf #fruits mid-summer #urban conditions tolerant #mass planting #food source soft mast fruit #fragrant flowers #problem for cats #bird friendly #problem for dogs #problem for horses #eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly #butterfly friendly #larval host plant #self-fertile #food source summer #pollinator plant #hedge #wildlife friendly #fall color #screen
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Messy; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Drought; Urban Conditions
Propagation
Layering; Seed; Stem Cutting
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Leaves; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
Stems, leaves, seeds contain chemicals that breakdown in the body to cyanide. Cyanide can cause spasms, convulsions, coma and respiratory failure leading to death.