Puget Cherry: A Lesser-Known Pacific Northwest Tree
Meet the Puget cherry (Prunus ×pugetensis), a somewhat mysterious member of the cherry family that calls the Pacific Northwest home. While you might be familiar with other cherry trees that grace our landscapes, this particular species remains one of the more enigmatic players in the Prunus family.
What Is Puget Cherry?
Prunus ×pugetensis is a hybrid cherry tree that grows as a perennial woody plant. Like other trees in the cherry family, it develops a single trunk and can reach heights greater than 13-16 feet under ideal conditions, though environmental factors might occasionally result in a shorter, multi-stemmed growth form.
The × in its botanical name indicates that this is a hybrid species, meaning it’s the result of cross-breeding between two different cherry species. This hybridization often occurs naturally in the wild where different Prunus species grow in proximity to each other.
Where Does It Grow?
Currently, Puget cherry can be found growing in British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. Despite its presence in these Pacific Northwest locations, it’s actually classified as a non-native species that has been introduced to the region. Interestingly, it has established itself well enough to reproduce spontaneously in the wild without human assistance and tends to persist in these areas.
Should You Plant Puget Cherry in Your Garden?
Here’s where things get a bit tricky. While Prunus ×pugetensis isn’t currently listed as invasive or noxious, there’s limited information available about its specific growing requirements, wildlife benefits, and overall impact on local ecosystems. This lack of detailed information makes it challenging to provide comprehensive growing advice.
If you’re drawn to cherry trees for your landscape, you might want to consider some fantastic native alternatives that offer well-documented benefits:
- Bitter cherry (Prunus emarginata) – A Pacific Northwest native that provides excellent wildlife habitat and spring blooms
- Choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) – Another native option with beautiful flowers and fruits that birds love
Growing Conditions and Care
Unfortunately, specific information about Puget cherry’s preferred growing conditions, hardiness zones, and care requirements is quite limited in available literature. This is not uncommon with lesser-studied hybrid species, especially those that aren’t widely cultivated.
If you do encounter this tree or are considering it for your landscape, it would likely share some general characteristics with other Prunus species, such as preferring well-draining soil and full to partial sun exposure. However, without specific research on this hybrid, it’s difficult to provide detailed growing guidance.
The Bottom Line
Puget cherry represents one of those interesting botanical mysteries that remind us how much we still have to learn about the plant world. While it has established itself in Pacific Northwest ecosystems, the limited available information makes it challenging to recommend as a garden choice.
For gardeners interested in supporting local ecosystems while enjoying the beauty of flowering trees, focusing on well-researched native cherry species might be the better path forward. These natives come with the added bonus of documented wildlife benefits and established care guidelines that can help ensure your gardening success.
Have you encountered Puget cherry in the wild? We’d love to hear about your observations of this intriguing hybrid species!
