Brush cherry

Brush cherry is a large shrub or small tree that can grow up to about 10 metres tall. It has smooth, light grey bark and angular branches that often hang downwards, giving the plant a slightly weeping appearance.

The leaves are leathery, glossy and oval‑shaped. When crushed, they have a noticeable aromatic scent. A key feature is the many clear, parallel veins that run through each leaf.

From January through to July, brush cherry produces clusters of small whitish flowers, usually with distinctive red bases. These are followed by bunches of berry‑like fruit that ripen to a deep crimson‑purple colour. Each fruit contains a single large seed.

Birds spread the seeds by eating the fruit, and seeds can also move through disturbed soil. Common seed sources include hedges, shelterbelts, gardens and roadsides.

Brush cherry grows best in moderately to highly fertile, well‑drained soils, but it’s very adaptable. It can tolerate frost, salt, dry conditions, wind, shade and physical damage, which allows it to establish in a wide range of environments.

Seedlings can sit quietly in the shade for long periods, then grow rapidly when a gap opens up in the canopy. Over time, this allows brush cherry to become a long living canopy species. Its seeds are spread widely by birds and soil movement, and it can grow faster than many native hardwood trees. As a result, it has the potential to invade disturbed forests, shrublands and forest margins.

Although brush cherry is not a legally declared pest plant, it can still behave invasively in some situations. When choosing plants for gardens or shelterbelts, it’s worth considering lower‑risk alternatives, like native species.