Oemleria cerasiformis
( oh - em - LER - ee - uh ser - ass - if - FORM - iss )
At-A-Glance Information
This species of deciduous shrubs and trees is commonly called Oso Berry or Indian Plum. These plants need full sun in cooler climates, partial shade elsewhere, and ample water to perform well. The fruit will attract birds to your garden. Oso Berry is native to woodland areas in the Northwestern United States and is a suckering shrub that grows to 3-15 feet tall and 12 feet wide (or more). Leaves when crushed have a cucumber scent to them, and white, small flowers smell of almond. Blooms appear alongside the leafout period early in the year. Male and Female plants are separate; both are needed for Oso Berry to bear fruit. Berries are bluish-black. These plants are great for borders, especially in woodland areas. Oso Berry grows well in zones 4-9 and 14-24 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map). Oemleria cerasiformis is the only species in the Oemleria genus, which is a member of the plant family Rosaceae.
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Caring for and pruning Oemleria cerasiformis shrubs
These shrubs can do well in a variety of light exposures, though they will really thrive in partial shade or dappled sunlight conditions. They do well under the canopy of other trees. Indian Plum prefers well-draining, loam soil but can adapt to a variety of soils, and prefers soil to have a pH of between 4.0 and 7.0. Mulch around the base of the plant to increase soil moisture retention. These shrubs don't typically need to be fertilized, but if the plant seems to be struggling, it may benefit from an application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in springtime. Water regularly, especially during spring and summertime when the plant is flowering in and producing fruit. Keep the soil consistently moist during these times, but ensure that the roots are not becoming waterlogged. Once established, these plants are considered somewhat drought-tolerant. Prune these shrubs in late wintertime or early springtime, shaping as needed and removing dead or damaged foliage and branches. These shrubs have a naturally arching habit, so minimal pruning is required. They are generally best when left to their own devices, and have a bit of a wild look to them.
Harvesting and Preparing Oso Berries
Oso Berry fruit is somewhat like a plum; it is edible though somewhat astringent. It is best when cooked or made into jams or jellies. These plants will produce fruit only if both a male and a female shrub are present. Harvest usually occurs in summer or fall.
Harvesting and Preparing Oso Berries
Oso Berry fruit is somewhat like a plum; it is edible though somewhat astringent. It is best when cooked or made into jams or jellies. These plants will produce fruit only if both a male and a female shrub are present. Harvest usually occurs in summer or fall.
Propagation
Oemleria cerasiformis can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Oemleria cerasiformis by Cutting
Propagating Oemlieria cerasiformis by Seed
Propagating Oemleria cerasiformis by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Oemlieria cerasiformis by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seeds are contained within the fruits on the shrub, produced when there are both a male and a female plant present.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination can take up to 180 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Although these shrubs are generally resistant to pests and diseases, keep an eye out for common garden pests such as:
- Powdery Mildew
- Scale Insects
- Aphids
Gallery
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All about Oso Berry.
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Learn more about these woodland beauties.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 459, Oemleria cerasiformis (Oso Berry, Indian Plum)
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