Cherry - Prunus fruticosa x cerasus 'Romeo'

Romeo Cherry is a medium-sized shrub that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces crimson 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 fleshy texture.

Romeo Cherry features showy clusters of fragrant white flowers along the branches in mid spring. It has green deciduous foliage. The glossy oval leaves turn yellow in fall. The fruits are showy crimson drupes carried in abundance in mid summer.

Romeo Cherry will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.

This shrub 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 particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.