Is Umbrella cherry hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Umbrella cherry be planted?

Plant it at least 1.5 m from buildings. Keep it at least 1.5 m from paving.

How much water does Umbrella cherry need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

Umbrella cherry

Prunus × eminens 'Umbraculifera'

Umbrella cherry (Prunus × eminens 'Umbraculifera') is a small tree. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: medium.

Illustration of Umbrella cherry — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A small-leaved ornamental cherry grafted on a tall stem whose compact ball crown stays regular without pruning and only gets 1.5 to 2 metres wide, so it fits the smallest garden, a front yard or a large tub. In April it is covered in small white flowers that bees visit, and in autumn the foliage turns orange and bronze-red. It hardly ever fruits, dislikes waterlogged soil, and the crown droops a little with age.

Watch out for

In Central Europe blossom and twig blight (Monilinia) is common on ornamental cherries: in cool, wet weather at flowering the blossoms turn brown and shoot tips die, and these must be cut back to healthy wood. Remove any rootstock shoots that appear on the trunk or below the graft, because they outgrow the ball crown.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 3 m × 1.5 m
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Deciduous
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D April–May, white

Group	Small tree
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	3 m × 1.5 m
Ultimate size	3–5 m × 1.5–3 m
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	April–May, white
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 1.5 m
Distance from paving	at least 1.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	250 cm
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Small ornamental trees Small trees for beside paths and paving Plants for containers Plants with autumn colour