Black Cherry
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 Black Cherry flowers and leaves
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| Prunus serotina Ehrh. |
The Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) is a species of cherry, native to eastern North America from southern Quebec and Ontario south to Texas and central Florida. It is a species in the subgenus Padus with flowers in racemes, and is a deciduous tree growing to 15-30 m tall.
The leaves are simple, 6-14 cm long, with a serrated margin. The fruit are 1 cm in diameter, somewhat astringent and bitter to eat fresh, but suitable for making jam and cherry pies; they are also a popular flavoring for sodas. The fruit is readily eaten by birds, which do not taste astringency as unpleasant. The flowers are small, white, and fragrant. The Black Cherry can easily be identified in a forest by its papery, dark red bark. However, for about the first decade or so of its life, the bark resembles that of a Birch, and is thin and striped. It can also quickly be identified by its long, shiny leaves resembling that of a Sourwood.
The Black Cherry is a Pioneer species. In the Midwest, it is seen growing mostly in old fields with other sunlight loving species, such as Black Walnut, Black locust, and Hackberry. It rarely grows to more than 3' diameter, and is short lived for a tree of its size. The short life span may be influenced by the Black Cherry's weak limbs, which break easily during storms and snowfalls. This leads to exposure of the trunk, which causes early decay. The Black Cherry is also a host of the Eastern tent caterpillar, which defoliate entire groves some springs.
It is recommended that farmers quickly remove any Black Cherry trees that fall in a field containing livestock, because the wilted leaves release Cyanide, which if eaten could poison the animals. Removal is not always practical though, because Black Cherries often grow in very large numbers on farms, taking advantage of the light brought about by mowing and grazing. Entire fencerows can be lined with this posionous tree, making it difficult to monitor all the branches falling into the grazing area.
This is perhaps the premier cabinetry timber of the US, traded as "cherry". It is known for its strong red color and high price.
It is closely related to the Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), from which it differs in the larger leaves and the cherries, which when ripe are black (hence the name), not red.
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