Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' (Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Autumn Cherry, Winter Cherry.

More about prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis'

About Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis'

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' · also called Autumn Cherry, Winter Cherry · flowering

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' is the winter-flowering cherry, valued for semi-double white blooms that open in flushes from late autumn through mild spells into early spring. A graceful, spreading small tree, it brings flower to the dormant season, follows with bronze new leaves and good autumn tints, and suits lawns and mixed borders.

Cold limit: USDA 5-8 · RHS H6 (-20 to 30°C)

Watch for — Bacterial canker: Causes gummy bark lesions and dieback; prune affected branches in dry summer weather and avoid wounding in winter.

What prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis''s hardiness rating actually means

Yes — prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 5-8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H6 means: Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe. On the US scale that maps to USDA 5-8 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 5-8 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H6 figure above.

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' cold hardy?

Yes — prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H6 and USDA 5-8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' is hardy across USDA 5-8; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −20 to −15 °C. Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis'?

Prunus subhirtella 'Autumnalis' is rated USDA 5-8 and RHS H6 — Hardy throughout the UK and northern Europe.

Can prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 5-8 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 to −15 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.