Botanical Name: Prunus salicifolia
Common Names: Capulin Cherry, Mexican Bird Cherry, Black Cherry, Mexican Black Cherry
These seed grown cherry trees fruit within 2 years.
Capulin Cherry is a hardy, fast-growing fruit tree that loves the Perth sun. Unlike traditional cherries that need a long, cold winter to fruit, this subtropical beauty thrives in our warmer climate. The fruit is dark, glossy, and sweet with a unique, slightly sharp finish that gets better the longer you leave it on the tree. It is a must-have for any local food forest.
Features:
Ideal prune height range: 3-5m (can reach 10m+ if left alone)
pH growing conditions: 5.5 to 7.0
Shade or full sun: Full sun
Minimum pot year 5: Not recommended for pots (best in ground)
Time to fruit age: 2-3 years from seed
Capulin trees are incredibly vigorous and can grow over a metre a year. They put on a massive show of white flowers in spring, which the bees absolutely love. While they are tough and can handle some dry weather once they are settled, giving them extra water in the peak of a Perth summer will make the cherries much juicier. They are self-fertile, so you only need one tree to get a massive harvest.
Interesting Notes:
The fruit is great fresh, but it really shines in jams or milkshakes. In Mexico, they even use the cherries as a filling for special tamales. The tree is also evergreen in most parts of Perth, making it a great privacy screen that feeds you at the same time.
Capulin is a top pick for permaculture gardens because it grows so fast and provides plenty of shade and mulch.
Limited stock. Pickup from Parkwood, WA. Delivery to Perth Metro only.
Keywords: Capulin Cherry, subtropical cherry Perth, rare fruit tree, fast growing fruit tree, backyard orchard