Royal Lee Cherry
A highly desirable fruit tree with many attributes; small and compact, ideal for home landscapes and backyard orchards, produces showy white flowers in spring, followed by sweet red fruit; requires pollenator, pair with Minnie Royal
Attracts,Birds
Brand,
Brand,
Botanical Name,
Bulb Size,
Bulbs per Package,
Deer Resistant,
Evergreen or Deciduous,Deciduous
Family,
Family Name,Cherry
Flower Color,
Bloom Time,Early Spring
Foliage Color,Green
Genus,
Genus Name,Prunus
Model,
Tomato Class,
Tomato Type,
Weather,
Days to Emerge,
Days to Maturity,
Edible,Yes
Features,
Growth Rate,Medium
Hardiness,
Hardiness Zone,5a
Harvest Season,Mid Summer
Landscape Uses,Accent, Orchard
Light Needs,Full Sun
Mature Height,20 feet
Mature Width,15 feet
Prune Time,Late Winter Pruning
Self Pollinating,Cultivar
Water Needs,Average to Moist
Waterwise,
Essentials for Success
For flourishing plants, use potting soil for potted plants or planting mix for garden beds paired with Root Zone starter fertilizer is the perfect duo to foster robust root growth and minimize transplant shock.
Details
Edible Qualities
Royal Lee Cherry is a small tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces dark red round fruit (technically 'drupes') with red flesh which are usually ready for picking in mid summer. Note that the fruits have hard inedible pits inside which must be removed before eating or processing. The fruits have a sweet taste and a firm texture.
The fruit are most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh Eating
- Cooking
- Baking
- Preserves
Features
Royal Lee Cherry is clothed in stunning clusters of fragrant white flowers hanging below the branches in early spring before the leaves. It has dark green foliage throughout the season. The large pointy leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy dark red drupes carried in abundance in mid summer. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. The smooth gold bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.
This is a deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:
- Disease
Aside from its primary use as an edible, Royal Lee Cherry is sutiable for the following landscape applications:
- Accent
- Orchard/Edible Landscaping
Care
Planting & Growing
Royal Lee Cherry will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.
This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
