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    Home»Herbs and Spices»Facts about Mongolian Cherry
    Herbs and Spices

    Facts about Mongolian Cherry

    By SylviaMay 17, 2022Updated:May 17, 2022No Comments7 Mins Read
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    Prunus fruticosa popularly known as Mongolian Cherry is a deciduous shrub of low, spreading habit belonging to Rosaceae (Rose family). The plant is native to Ciscaucasia, western Siberia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang China, western Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, and Italy. Some of the popular common names of the plant are Dwarf cherry, European dwarf cherry, Steppe cherry, Siberian cherry and Mongolian cherry. It is also called ground cherry and European ground cherry, but is not to be confused with plants in the distinct “Ground cherry” genus of Physalis. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is occasionally grown as a fruit crop in gardens, is used as a rootstock for the cherry and is also sometimes grown as an ornamental.

    Mongolian Cherry Facts

    Mongolian Cherry Quick Facts
    Name: Mongolian Cherry
    Scientific Name: Prunus fruticosa
    Origin Ciscaucasia, western Siberia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang China, western Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, and Italy
    Colors Green when young turning to very deep reddish purple as they mature
    Shapes About the size of a large pea, globose to pyriform, about 8–25 mm in diameter
    Taste Sour-sweet, or tart
    Health benefits Helps to stimulate respiration, improves digestion, coughs, colds, gout and gives a sense of well-being.
    Name Mongolian Cherry
    Scientific Name Prunus fruticosa
    Native Ciscaucasia, western Siberia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang China, western Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, and Italy
    Common Names Dwarf cherry, Ground cherry, European ground cherry , European dwarf cherry, Steppe cherry, Siberian cherry, Mongolian cherry
    Name in Other Languages Arabic: Karaz qizm ‘uwrubiyun  (كرز قزم أوروبي)
    Azerbaijani: Yabanı gilas
    Bulgarian: Stepna višna  (степна вишна), khrastovidna cheresha (храстовидна череша)
    Chinese: Cao yuan ying tao (草原樱桃)
    Croatian: Patuljasta trešnja
    Czech: Třešeň křovitá
    Danish: Dvaergkirsebaer , Joedekirsebaer
    Dutch: Dwergkers
    English: Dwarf cherry, Ground cherry, European ground cherry , European dwarf cherry, Steppe cherry, Siberian cherry, Mongolian cherry
    Finnish: Euroopankääpiökirsikka, Arokirsikka
    French: Cerisier buissonnant, Cerisier des steppes, Cerisier nain, Griottier nain, Prunier nain, Prunier buissonant
    German: Steppenkirsche, Zwergkirsche, Zwergekirsche, Strauch-Kirsche, Steppenkirschbaum, Zwergkirschbaum
    Hungarian: Csepleszmeggy, molyhos madárhúr               
    Italian: Ciliegio nano, Ciliegio cespuglioso, pruno fruticosa
    Kazakh: Dalalıq şïye, Далалық шие, دالالىق شىييە
    Persian: پرونوس فروتیکوسا
    Polish: Wishnia karlowata, Wisnia karlowata, wisienka stepowa
    Portuguese: Cereja-anã
    Russian: Stepnaia vishnia, Vishennik, Vishnia kustarnikovaia (Вишня кустарниковая)
    Serbian: Divlja višnja (дивља вишња), stepska višnja (степска вишња)
    Slovak: Cerešňa krovitá
    Spanish: Cerezo enano, cerezo enano europeo, cerezo mongol
    Swedish: Stäppkörsbär
    Turkish: Bodur kiraz
    Ukrainian: Vyshnya shtepova (Вишня степова), vyshnya kushchova (вишня кущова)
    Upper Sorbian: Mała wišnja
    Plant Growth Habit Much-branched, deciduous, xerophytic, winter-hardy, cherry-bearing shrub
    Growing Climates Shrubby thickets, dry grassland, forest-steppes, steppe zone, broad-leaved forest margins, open dry slopes, flatlands with dry steppe vegetation, karst areas
    Soil Thrives in a well-drained moisture-retentive loamy soil, growing well on limestone. It also prefers some lime in the soil but is likely to become chlorotic if too much lime is present
    Plant Size Usually grows 20 – 100 cm tall, occasionally reaching 200 cm
    Bark Bark is dark brown with yellow lenticels
    Leaf Oblanceolate to obovate, tapering to both ends about 12 mm long and 6 mm wide, with acuminate apex, glabrous above, thick, serrated with crenate margin, dark glossy green, yellow in autumn, with a short petiole
    Flowering season Early May
    Flower Flowers are white hermaphroditic blossoms in leafy bracts located 2-4 each on short peduncles in sessile umbels. They are produced in usually stalk less umbels of about four from buds on the previous year’s shoots, each flower on a slender stalk 1⁄2 to 1 in. long. They are pollinated by bees.
    Fruit Shape & Size Fruits are about the size of a large pea, globose to pyriform, about 8–25 mm in diameter
    Fruit Color Green when young turning to very deep reddish purple as they mature
    Propagation By Seeds, Cuttings
    Taste Sour-sweet, or tart
    Plant Parts Used Fruits, Seeds
    Season July to August
    Lifespan Approximately 20 years
    Precautions
    • In larger concentrations, however, cyanide can cause gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma and respiratory failure leading to death.

    Plant Description

    Mongolian Cherry is a much-branched, deciduous, xerophytic, winter-hardy, cherry-bearing shrub that normally grows about 20 – 100 cm tall, occasionally reaching 200 cm. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years. The plant is found growing in shrubby thickets, dry grassland, forest-steppes, steppe zone, broad-leaved forest margins, open dry slopes, flatlands with dry steppe vegetation and karst areas. It thrives in a well-drained moisture-retentive loamy soil, growing well on limestone. It also prefers some lime in the soil but is likely to become chlorotic if too much lime is present. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. The plant produces suckers, forming a thicket. Roots are abundant. The plant requires full sun; it is a steppe rather than a forest plant, although it does form thickets at the edges of open forest.

    Plant-illustration-of-Mongolian-Cherry Plant-illustration-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Closer-view-of-flower-of-Mongolian-Cherry Closer-view-of-flower-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Mongolian-Cherry-tree Mongolian-Cherry-tree
    Fruits-of-Mongolian-Cherry Fruits-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Flowers-of-Mongolian-Cherry Flowers-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Leaves-of-Mongolian-Cherry Leaves-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Twigs-of-Mongolian-Cherry Twigs-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Sketch-of-Mongolian-Cherry Sketch-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Seeds-of-Mongolian-Cherry Seeds-of-Mongolian-Cherry
    Mongolian Cherry Image Gallery

    Leaves

    Leaves are oblanceolate to obovate, tapering to both ends about 12 mm long and 6 mm wide, with acuminate apex, glabrous above, thick, serrated with crenate margin, dark glossy green, and yellow in autumn, with a short petiole.

    Bud Arrangement Alternate
    Bud Color Brown
    Bud Size  1/8 inch
    Leaf Type and Shape Simple, ovate-elliptical
    Leaf Margins Crenate-serrulate
    Leaf Surface Glossy, smooth
    Leaf Length 3/4 to 2 inches
    Leaf Width  3/8 to 1 inch
    Leaf Color Dark glossy-green; yellow fall color

     

    Flowers

    The flowers are white hermaphroditic blossoms in leafy bracts located 2-4 each on short peduncles in sessile umbels. They are produced in usually stalk less umbels of about four from buds on the previous year’s shoots, each flower on a slender stalk 1⁄2 to 1 in. long. They are pollinated by bees. In the Northern Hemisphere, the plant flowers in May. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn’t require a second plant close to set fruit. The flowers are its basis of bee-keeping honey plant.

    Flower Type 2 or 4 flowers in sessile umbels, with leafy bracts
    Flower Color White

    Fruits

    Fertile flowers are followed by fruits that are about the size of a large pea, globose to pyriform, about 8–25 mm in diameter. Fruits are initially green turning to very deep reddish purple as they mature. Fruit start ripening in August. The taste is sour-sweet, or tart.

    Fruit Type Cherry-shaped fruit, globose
    Fruit Color Dark red

    Traditional uses and benefits of Mongolian Cherry

    • In small amounts this extremely poisonous compound helps to stimulate respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being.
    • It has been used as an astringent for coughs, colds, gout, and in cancer research.

    Culinary Uses

    • Fruit can be consumed raw or cooked.
    • As a sour tasting cherry, the fruit is used in cooking, and for jams and jellies.
    • It can also be made into preserves or dried for later use.
    • Seed can be consumed raw or cooked.
    • Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter.

    Other Facts

    • A green dye can be obtained from the leaves.
    • A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit.
    • It is planted in hedgerows as an ornamental plant privacy screen and windbreak.
    • It is a host plant for bees and other beneficial insects and birds.
    • It is used for screen, hedge, border and group plantings.
    • The shrub’s network of penetrating roots is useful for soil stabilization in designed landscapes and habitat restoration projects.
    • The plant is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard.

    Mongolian Cherry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

    • Mass Planting
    • General Garden Use
    • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
    • Orchard/Edible Landscaping

    References:

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=24779#null

    https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=29899

    https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Prunus+fruticosa

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/rjp-5896

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_fruticosa

    https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-9.pdf

    https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/PRNFR

    https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/44284

    https://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Prunus+fruticosa

    https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=PRFR2

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    Mongolian Cherry Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Prunus fruticosa

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Superdivision Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
    Division Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
    Subdivision Spermatophytina  (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
    Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
    Subclass Rosidae
    Superorder Rosanae
    Order Rosales
    Family Rosaceae (Rose family)
    Genus Prunus L. (plum)
    Species Prunus fruticosa Pall. (European dwarf cherry)
    Synonyms
    • Cerasus fruticosa (Pall.) Borkh.
    • Cerasus fruticosa (Pall.) Woronow
    • Cerasus humilis Host
    • Cerasus pumila Pall.
    • Cereus fruticosa (Pall.)
    • Prunus chamaecerasus Jacq.
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