3 feet. Note: Threatened in Arkansas, presumed extirpated in Ohio; CREEPING SAND CHERRY, EASTERN SAND CHERRY (P. pumila var. depressa). Height: 3–8 inches. Ornamental Attributes: Red-throated white flowers from April to June, large black cherries on bright red pedicels, deep red fall leaves. “It is almost a harbinger of spring . . . it is a beautiful sight to see when in flower described as having ‘clouds of flowers.’ Unfortunately, most nurseries sell only exotic varieties of Prunus, though none are more hardy or more beautiful than our natives,” note Weeks, Weeks, and Parker.12 Both make excellent groundcovers. Cultivation: Full sun, shade intolerant. Moist to dry, well-drained soil. Grow largest in moist, fertile soil.
Sand cherry (Prunus pumila var. pumila)
Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus)
Coral hairstreak butterfly (Satyrium titus)
Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia)
Columbia silkmoth (Hyalophora columbia)
Red-spotted purple butterfly (Limenitis arthemis)
Striped hairstreak butterfly (Satyrium liparops)
Prunus Nature Note: Native cherries and plums host 456 Lepidoptera species, a number surpassed only by our native oaks. These butterflies and moths include spring azure (p. 95), Henry’s elfin (p. 93), viceroy (p. 54), eastern tiger swallowtail, coral hairstreak, striped hairstreak, red-spotted purple, promethea moth, cecropia moth, Columbia silkmoth and other giant silk moths, white-lined sphinx moth (p. 108), hummingbird clearwing moth (p. 72), banded tussock moth, and band-edged prominent moth. Birds eat the nutritious caterpillars and feed them to their nestlings. Ants, attracted to cherries’ extrafloral nectaries (small glands on the stalks), protect the leaves from some leaf-chewing insects. Ruby-throated hummingbirds (p. 91), bumblebees (p. 61), honeybees, bee-mimicking flies, flower beetles, various small pollinating insects, and skipper and other adult butterflies visit for the early pollen and nectar. Birds eat the insects and feed them to their offspring. The plentiful fruits help sustain more than 84 species of birds, including northern cardinal (p. 61), gray catbird (p. 79), eastern kingbird (p. 55), American robin (p. 62), cedar waxwing (p. 36), red-headed woodpecker (p. 212), northern flicker (p. 99), northern mockingbird (p. 256), rose-breasted grosbeak (p. 200), white-throated sparrow (p. 108), Baltimore oriole (p. 167), eastern bluebird (p. 61), brown thrasher (p. 219), wood thrush (p. 175), vireos, and scarlet tanager; and mammals, including chipmunks (p. 94), squirrels, and foxes. The ornate box turtle, found in open sandy habitats, also eats them. Some mammals and shrub- and ground-nesting birds use the plants as cover. Zones: 3–6.
Honeybee (Apis mellifera)
See Spring Trees for Prunus spp.: AMERICAN PLUM and other native plums, p. 78; BLACK CHERRY, p. 82; CHOKECHERRY, p. 83; PIN CHERRY, p. 83.
More Native Alternatives:
SWEETSHRUB, EASTERN SWEETSHRUB, CAROLINA ALLSPICE. Family: Strawberry-shrub (Calycanthaceae). Genus: Calycanthus (C. floridus var. glaucus). Height/Spread: 4–8 feet. Taller in shaded areas. Ornamental Attributes: Fragrant, long-lasting individual dark red or maroon flowers that ladies once tucked into their blouses to perfume themselves. Glossy, aromatic dark green foliage turns golden yellow in fall. Urn-shaped seed capsules persist through the winter. All parts of the plant, including the multiple stems, are fragrant. “If only for the purplish-red, pleasantly-scented flowers, this North American shrub is worthy of extensive culture. The hardiness, accommodating nature, and delicious perfume of its brightly-coloured flowers render this shrub one of the choicest subjects,” wrote the English gardener, A. D. Webster, in 1893.13 Cultivation: Easily grown. Full to part sun, moist to dry well-drained soil. Low maintenance, drought resistant, no known pests or diseases. Note: Endangered or presumed extirpated in parts of the Midwest. Nature Note: Birds seek its pollinating beetles to feed their babies. Sweetshrub hosts 2 Lepidoptera species. Birds and their nestlings eat the caterpillars. Historical Note: Calycanthus is one of many in the ancient line of beetle-pollinated magnolia relatives.14 Zones: (4) 5–9.
Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus)
SERVICEBERRY, JUNEBERRY, SHADBUSH. Family: Rose (Rosaceae). Genus: Amelanchier. Genus Note: Serviceberries freely hybridize, making it difficult to identify specimens. Ornamental Attributes: “Serviceberries are like harbingers of spring—their early, attractive, white flowers are a vision of spring for winter-weary eyes,” write Weeks and Weeks. Showy, fragrant clusters of five-petaled white (sometimes pink-tinged) flowers in April or May bloom at the same time as the invasive Bradford pear. True to their name, the showy, sweet, edible purplish-black, blueberry-like fruits always ripen in June. The pretty green summer leaves turn showy orange, red, yellow in fall at exactly the same time as the leaves of the invasive nonnative burning bush turn pinkish or red. The gracefully shaped shrubs and trees have silver-gray bark providing winter interest. The shrubs create nice groundcovers and hedges. Cultivation: Easily grown. Sun best for fruit and fall color. Wide range of moist, well-drained soils. Mulching is a good idea. Frost hardy, salt and black walnut tree toxicity tolerant. Self-pollinating flowers; RUNNING SERVICEBERRY, RUNNING JUNEBERRY, DWARF SERVICEBERRY, THICKET SERVICEBERRY (A. stolonifera, A. spicata). Height: 1–6 feet. Spread: 3–10 feet; LOW SERVICEBERRY, LOW JUNEBERRY (A. humilis). Height/Spread: 2–3 feet. Note: Endangered in parts of the Midwest; ROUNDLEAF SERVICEBERRY
