Monterey Bay Brush Cherry
Best evergreen shrub for creating dense, ornamental privacy screens.
Enhance your landscape with the Monterey Bay Brush Cherry, a tall, full-branching evergreen shrub. Its new growth emerges in a striking reddish-bronze, contrasting beautifully with mature green foliage. Delicate, creamy white flowers bloom in spring, followed by rose-purple fruit. This versatile plant is ideal for formal hedges, sculpted topiary, or creating a dense privacy screen. It thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers slightly acidic, well-drained soil rich in organic matter, making it a lush addition to any garden.
$69.99
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
34
/ 2688
#34 in Bushes & Shrubs
Price vs Category Average
+78%
Above average
Mature Height
20
/ feet
Who it's for
- Homeowners seeking year-round backyard privacy
- Gardeners wanting dynamic seasonal color shifts
- Landscapers who enjoy shaping formal topiary designs
Who should skip it
- Gardeners who prefer low-maintenance, pest-free plants
- Homeowners with paved patios or clean walkways
- Gardeners living in regions with harsh winter freezes
Performance breakdown
Privacy Screening Potential
Dense branching habit creates an effective, tall natural barrier.
Visual Versatility
Easily transitions from formal topiary to a lush, colorful hedge.
Seasonal Interest
Dynamic color shifts and fruit production offer year-round garden appeal.
Wildlife Attraction
Flowering and fruiting cycles naturally invite local birds to visit.
Maintenance Requirements
Frequent watering and specific soil needs demand consistent gardener attention.
Environmental Adaptability
Limited to specific hardiness zones and lacks significant drought tolerance.
Key Specs
Mature Height
20 feet
Mature Width
10 feet
Light Needs
Partial Shade, Full Sun
Foliage Type
Evergreen
Bloom Time
Spring
Growth Rate
Medium
Hardiness Zone
9
Container Size
5 gallon
Features
- Produces creamy white flowers
- Followed by rose-purple fruit
- Attracts birds to the garden
- Striking reddish-bronze new growth
- Ideal for hedges and topiary
- Creates a dense privacy screen
- Evergreen foliage provides year-round appeal
- Suitable for various sun exposures
What customers say
Customers frequently commend the Monterey Bay Brush Cherry for its exceptional quality and robust arrival. The plant's impressive vigor and reliability are consistently highlighted, with many noting its rapid establishment and sustained health across different climates. While the initial cost is sometimes a consideration, its proven hardiness and beautiful, dense foliage underscore its long term value as a landscape feature. This plant reliably delivers superior nursery stock, offering excellent quality and lasting appeal for any garden.
Know before you buy
Yes, this shrub responds very well to pruning. Because it is frequently used for formal hedges and topiary, you can regularly trim it to maintain a specific height and shape that fits your landscape.
No, the Monterey Bay Brush Cherry is not considered pet-safe. If you have curious pets that tend to chew on garden plants, you may want to place this shrub in an area they cannot access.
To maintain a dense privacy screen, you should prune it periodically to encourage branching. It requires moderate to high watering, so ensure your irrigation system or schedule can keep the soil consistently moist, especially during its establishment phase.
The plant does produce fruit following its spring bloom, which may drop as it ripens. If you are concerned about staining or debris, it is best to plant this shrub away from high-traffic paved areas or patios.
This plant is not drought-tolerant and prefers consistent moisture. In regions with intense heat, you will need to monitor the soil closely and provide regular water to prevent stress, as it does not handle dry conditions well.
It thrives in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter and slightly acidic. If your native soil is heavy clay or highly alkaline, amending the planting site with organic compost can help improve drainage and nutrient availability.
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Ready to buy?
$70