Associations
provided by BioImages, the virtual fieldguide, UK
Foodplant / saprobe
clustered conidioma of Foveostrama coelomycetous anamorph of Dermea cerasi is saprobic on twig of Prunus serotina
Brief Summary
provided by Ecomare
The wild black cherry is an ornamental bush, imported from eastern North America, where it reaches tree heights. At the beginning of the 20th century, a bush variety was planted in the Netherlands on a large scale as undergrowth in production forests. This bush grows on poor sandy soils and in the dunes. It developed extremely rapidly at the cost of indigenous forest plants and became such a plague that foresters gave it the nickname 'forest pest'. Combating the forest pest has turned out to be a never-ending task. Remnants of the plant remaining in the ground simply re-root. And the very tasty cherries are carried over distances by both birds and mammals.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- Copyright Ecomare
Broad-scale Impacts of Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
density,
fire severity,
flame length,
forest,
hardwood,
prescribed fire,
severity,
top-kill,
wildfireThe effects of fire on black cherry vary depending on fire severity and
stem diameter. A large percentage of seedlings and saplings are
generally top-killed by low-severity fires, but larger individuals may
be unaffected. As fire severity increases, the percentage of tree-sized
individuals killed also increases.
An April prescribed fire in a south-central Wisconsin bur and white oak
savanna killed only 2 out of 141 black cherry seedlings and saplings.
The others either resprouted, suffered only partial scarring, or were
unharmed. The percentage of foliage killed was inversely related to
stem diameter. Nearly all seedlings were top-killed, but only a small
percentage of plants 4 inches (10 cm) d.b.h. were affected. In general,
black cherry was more susceptible to fire damage than either species of
oak [
25].
Low-intensity prescribed surface fires (mean flame length > 1 foot [0.3
m], mean rate of spread of 10.8 feet [3.3 m] per minute) in a
30-year-old mixed hardwood stand in central Wisconsin top-killed 67 to
100 percent of saplings less than 4 inches (10 cm) d.b.h., but did not
top-kill any black cherry greater than 4 inches (10 cm) d.b.h. One year
after the fire, seedling density was reduced by about 35 percent, from
11,400 to 7,500 per acre (28,250-18,500/ha) [
48].
Following a wildfire in south-central New York, 12 percent of 4 inch (10
cm) d.b.h. and smaller black cherry in old fields were killed. The rest
were top-killed and later sprouted [
53].
In longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) stands in Alabama, two summer
prescribed burns spaced 2 years apart killed small black cherry less
than 1 inch d.b.h. These plants sprouted after the first fire but not
after the second [
10].
Following an early spring, low-intensity prescribed fire in a young
black oak (Quercus velutina)-black cherry forest in Connecticut, about
15 percent of 1- to 4-inch-diameter black cherry were top-killed. No
4- to 6-inch-diameter trees were affected [
45].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Broad-scale Impacts of Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
density,
frequency,
hardwood,
prescribed fireIn 4- to 6-year-old northern Alabama clearcuts, black cherry saplings
and coppice sprouts regenerated quickly following top-killing broadcast
burns. Three to four years after burning, the density and frequency of
stems greater than 4.5 feet (1.4 m) tall was about equal to preburn
levels [
28].
In North Carolina, 1-inch-diameter (2.5 cm) black cherry that were
top-killed following a winter prescribed fire quickly sprouted,
producing an average of eight sprouts per stump. Black cherry sprouts
grew faster than all other hardwood sprouts on the study area. The
average height of the tallest black cherry sprout on each stump was 5.8
feet (1.7 m) 1 year after burning [
49].
In oldfields in New York, black cherry seedlings top-killed by fire
averaged 4.4 sprouts per stump [
53].
In south-central Wisconsin oak savanna, black cherry seedlings and
saplings top-killed by fire had 1 to 16 sprouts per stump. In general,
black cherry's sprouting response was vigorous, producing larger and
more numerous sprouts than than black, white, or bur oak [
25].
The Research Project Summary
Effects of surface fires in a mixed red and
eastern white pine stand in Michigan and the Research Paper by
Bowles and
others 2007 provide information on prescribed fire and postfire response of
several plant species, including black cherry, that was not available when
this species review was written.
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Common Names
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
black cherry
wild black cherry
rum cherry
mountain black cherry
wild cherry
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Description
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
drupe,
forest,
fruit,
seed,
treeBlack cherry is a deciduous, single-stemmed, medium- to large-sized
tree. In the forest it typically has a large, straight, branch-free
bole with a narrow crown, but in openings it tends to have a shorter
trunk and a broad, irregular crown [
26]. In the East, typical black
cherry (var. serotina) may reach 125 feet (38 m) in height and 4 feet
(1.2 m) or more in diameter [
17]. Southwestern varieties are typically
much smaller. Southwestern black cherry (var. rufula) seldom grows
taller than 30 feet (9 m), and escarpment black cherry (var. exima)
taller than 50 feet (15 m) [
50].
Black cherry has a shallow and spreading root system. Most roots occur
within 24 inches (61 cm) of the soil surface [
39]. Bark on young stems
is thin, smooth, and reddish-brown to nearly black. On large trunks the
bark is fissured and scaly but remains thin [
20,
23]. Black cherry has
simple, 2- to 6-inch-long, thick and leathery leaves [
26]. White
flowers occur in 3- to 4-inch-long, oblong-cylindric racemes at the end
of leafy twigs of the season [
17]. The fruit is a nearly globular,
one-seeded, purplish-black to black, 0.5 inch (1.2 cm) diameter drupe
[
11,
20]. The seed is an oblong-ovoid stone about 0.33 inch (0.75 cm)
long [
59].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Distribution
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Black cherry grows in eastern North America from western Minnesota south
to eastern Texas, and eastward to the Atlantic from central Florida to
Nova Scotia [
34]. Outlying populations grow in central Texas; in the
mountains of western Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona; and south in Mexico
to Guatemala [
34]. The varieties are distributed as follows [
34]:
typical black cherry (var. serotina) - from Nova Scotia west to
central Minnesota, south to east Texas, and east to central Florida.
Alabama black cherry (var. alabamensis) - from eastern Georgia west to
northeastern Alabama, and south to northwestern Florida. Also local
in South Carolina and North Carolina.
escarpment cherry (var. exima) - found in the Edwards Plateau region
of central Texas.
southwestern black cherry (var. rufula) - in the mountains from
western Texas to central Arizona, and south to northern and central
Mexico.
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Ecology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fire regime,
root crown,
seedBlack cherry is very susceptible to fire injury but typically resprouts
from the root crown or stump [
55].
Considerable amounts of black cherry seed are stored in the soil [
36].
The seed's stony endocarp and the soil provide some insulation from fire
[
22]. Although not documented, some soil-stored seeds presumably
survive at least light fires and contribute to postfire seedling
establishment.
Birds and animals may distribute some seed into burned areas. However,
as a means of postfire recovery, this is probably of minor importance.
FIRE REGIMES : Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the
FEIS home page under
"Find FIRE REGIMES".
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Fire Management Considerations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Black cherry does not require scarified seedbeds. Controlled burning
following timber harvest is not necessary for black cherry regeneration
[
41].
Black cherry sprouts prolifically following fire. However, this
depletes its underground carbohydrate reserves and leaves it in a
weakened condition. A second fire within a year or two would probably
kill any seedlings and saplings that survived the first fire by
resprouting [
10,
25].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Growth Form (according to Raunkiær Life-form classification)
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the term:
phanerophytePhanerophyte
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat characteristics
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
hardwood,
mesic,
xericBlack cherry occurs in numerous mesic woods and second-growth hardwood
forests in the eastern United States and Canada. It is also common in
old fields and along fence rows. It grows on a variety of soil types,
textures, and drainages but is most abundant on mesic sites [
39]. Black
cherry attains its greatest abundance on the Allegheny Plateau, where it
is found on nearly all soil types. In this region it grows somewhat
better on middle and lower slopes of eastern and northern exposures than
on the dry soils associated with south- or west-facing slopes [
39].
This mesophytic tendency becomes even more pronounced farther south. In
the southern Appalachians, black cherry generally grows as scattered
individuals with other mesophytic hardwoods and occasionally forms pure
stands at high elevations [
39]. In the Great Smoky Mountains, black
cherry is best represented in cove forests below 5,500 feet (1,676 m)
[
63]. In southern Wisconsin, understory black cherry is a conspicuous
component of xeric oak forests and savannas [
5].
In the southwestern United States, black cherry is confined to canyons,
valleys, and rich bottomlands [
5,
57].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Cover Types
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):
More info for the term:
hardwood14 Northern pin oak
17 Pin cherry
19 Gray birch - red maple
20 White pine - northern red oak - red maple
21 Eastern white pine
22 White pine - hemlock
23 Eastern hemlock
25 Sugar maple - beech - yellow birch
27 Sugar maple
28 Black cherry - maple
31 Red spruce - sugar maple - beech
34 Red spruce - Fraser fir
40 Post oak - blackjack oak
42 Bur oak
43 Bear oak
44 Chestnut oak
45 Pitch pine
51 White pine - chestnut oak
52 White oak - black oak - northern red oak
55 Northern red oak
57 Yellow-poplar
59 Yellow-poplar - white oak - northern red oak
60 Beech - sugar maple
64 Sassafras - persimmon
66 Ashe juniper - redberry (Pinchot) juniper
68 Mesquite
70 Longleaf pine
82 Loblolly pine - hardwood
83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
85 Slash pine - hardwood
108 Red maple
109 Hawthorn
110 Black oak
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Ecosystem
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):
FRES10 White - red - jack pine
FRES11 Spruce - fir
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES13 Loblolly - shortleaf pine
FRES14 Oak - pine
FRES15 Oak - hickory
FRES17 Elm - ash - cottonwood
FRES18 Maple - beech - birch
FRES19 Aspen - birch
FRES32 Texas savanna
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Habitat: Plant Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):
More info for the term:
forestK062 Mesquite - live oak savanna
K081 Oak savanna
K084 Cross Timbers
K086 Juniper - oak savanna
K087 Mesquite - oak savanna
K089 Black Belt
K097 Southeastern spruce - fir forest
K100 Oak - hickory forest
K101 Elm - ash forest
K102 Beech - maple forest
K103 Mixed mesophytic forest
K104 Appalacian oak forest
K106 Northern hardwoods
K109 Transition between K104 and K106
K110 Northeastern oak - pine forest
K111 Oak - hickory - pine forest
K112 Southern mixed forest
K115 Sand pine scrub
K116 Subtropical pine forest
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Immediate Effect of Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
hardwood,
severityBlack cherry's thin bark (about 0.2 inches [5 cm]) has poor insulating
properties [
23]. When the boles of black cherry trees were heated with
a propane torch, the cambium reached lethal temperatures faster than any
other eastern hardwood tested. The thin bark makes trees highly
susceptible to girdling, and black cherry is usually killed or
top-killed by fires of moderate severity. Trees larger than about 4 to
6 inches in diameter, however, may survive light surface fires
[
39,
45,
48].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Importance to Livestock and Wildlife
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
fresh,
fruit,
mastBlack cherry leaves, twigs, bark, and seeds are poisonous to livestock.
They contain a cyanogenic glycoside which breaks down during digestion
into hydrocyanic acid [
52]. Most livestock poisoning apparently comes
from eating wilted leaves, which contain more of the toxin than fresh
leaves do. One author speculated that more livestock are killed from
eating black cherry than from any other plant [
17]. White-tailed deer
eat the leaves and twigs without harm, and browse small to moderate
amounts of seedlings and saplings [
39].
Black cherry fruits are important mast for numerous species of birds and
mammals. Numerous songbirds feed on black cherries as they migrate
south in the fall. Passerine birds that make considerable use of black
cherry fruits include the American robin, brown thrasher, mockingbird,
eastern bluebird, European starling, gray catbird, blue jay, willow
flycatcher, northern cardinal, common crow, and waxwings, thrushes,
woodpeckers, grackles, grosbeaks, sparrows, and vireos [
42,
43]. Black
cherries are also important in the summer and fall diets of the ruffed
grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, wild turkey, northern bobwhite, and greater
and lesser prairie chicken [
33,
39,
58]. The red fox, raccoon, opossum,
and squirrels and rabbits also eat the fruit [
58]. Black cherries have
been described as a favorite food of black bears [
11].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Key Plant Community Associations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
codominant,
cover,
cover type,
forestBlack cherry occurs as scattered individuals in numerous forest types of
the East (see SAF cover types listed). It is codominant in only one
cover type, the black cherry-maple type (SAF 28) found in the Allegheny
Plateau and Allegheny Mountain sections of New York, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, and West Virginia [
18]. In this type, black cherry is a
primary component along with red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (A.
saccharum), and white ash (Fraxinus americana). Other common associates
include American beech (Fagus grandifolia), eastern hemlock (Tsuga
canadensis), sweet birch (Betula lenta), yellow birch (B.
alleghaniensis), yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), cucumbertree
(Magnolia acuminata), oak (Quercus spp.), and hickory (Carya spp.)
[
1,
5,
29,
41].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Life Form
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeTree
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Management considerations
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
allelopathy,
fern,
herbaceous,
scarification,
seedSilviculture: Black cherry regenerates best under even-aged
silvicultural treatments [
39,
40,
41]. Clearcutting is generally used
where advanced regeneration is abundant. Shelterwood cuts are used
where seedlings are scarce and provide good conditions for establishment
from soil-stored seed. Soil scarification following cutting is not
necessary.
Animal damage: Following timber harvest, black cherry seedlings
generally suffer less browsing damage by deer than associated hardwoods
because they are less palatable [
54]. However, black cherry stocking
can be reduced or completely eliminated where deer populations are high.
In some instances, successful regeneration can only be assured where
advanced seedlings are so abundant that deer cannot eat them all [
39].
Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer applications 2 years after harvest
cause black cherry seedlings to quickly outgrow the reach of deer [
3].
Competing vegetation: Competing herbaceous vegetation, such as bracken
fern (Pteridium aquilinum), hayscented fern (Dennstaedtia
punctilobula), whorled wood aster (Aster accuminatus), flat-topped aster
(A. umbellatus), goldenrod (Solidigo rugosa), and wild oatgrass
(Danthonia compressa), are often favored by shelterwood cuts. These
species inhibit black cherry seed germination and seedling growth
through allelopathy [
16,
27]. They are effectively controlled with
herbicides which also kill black cherry seedlings. However, black
cherry seed in the soil is not affected by herbicide treatments, and new
seedlings establish after spraying [
37].
Control: Black cherry under 3 feet (0.9 m) tall is susceptible to
2,4,5-T, but slightly more tolerant of 2,4-D. Basal bark treatments
with these herbicides kill trees over 10 feet (3 m) tall [
44]. Black
cherry is killed by soil treatments of Bromacil, Fenuron, Karbutilate,
and Picloram [
9].
Insects and Diseases: The most serious defoliating insects affecting
black cherry are the eastern tent caterpillar and the cherry scallop
shell moth. Infestations of these insects are sporadically heavy and
cause growth loss and occasional mortality. Numerous borers and beetles
cause gum defects but are seldom fatal. Black knot, a fungal disease
which causes elongated rough black swellings much larger than the stem,
is common in black cherry. In Pennsylvania, Cytospora leucostoma causes
a canker disease resulting in widespread branch mortality. Numerous
root and butt rotting fungi have been reported in black cherry; however,
decay generally spreads more slowly in cherry than associated trees.
See Marquis [
39] for a complete discussion of insects and diseases of
black cherry.
Wind damage: Because it is shallow-rooted and has a tendency to overtop
its associates in mixed stands, black cherry is susceptible to windthrow
[
39].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Nutritional Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The twigs of black cherry seedlings and saplings are high in protein.
In Pennsylvania, the protein content of twig sections in mid-April was
about 24 percent for the bud, 15 percent for the terminal 1 inch (2.5
cm) section, and 13 percent the terminal 1 to 2 inch section (2.5-5 cm)
[
12].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Occurrence in North America
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
AL AZ AR CT DE FL GA IL IN IA
KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO
NE NH NJ NM NY NC OH OK PA RI
SC TN TX VT VA WV WI NB NS ON
PQ MEXICO
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Other uses and values
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
fruitBlack cherry bark was used historically in the Appalachians as a cough
remedy, tonic, and sedative. The fruit was also used to flavor rum and
brandy. Pitted fruits are edible, and are eaten raw and used in wine
and jelly [
39].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Palatability
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Black cherry is moderately palatable to white-tailed deer; they prefer
sugar maple, white ash, yellow birch, yellow-poplar, and pin cherry
(Prunus pensylvanica) [
37,
54].
The fruits are highly palatable to song birds, upland game birds, and
mammals [
42,
58,
59].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Phenology
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the term:
fruitBlack cherry flowers in the spring when the leaves are one-half to fully
expanded. Fruits develop over the spring and summer and ripen by early
to late summer depending on latitude and climate. The fruits fall soon
after ripening. Fruit maturation may vary by as much as 3 weeks on
trees in the same stand [
39]. Generalized timing of phenological events
vary regionally as follows [
8,
39,
46,
50]:
Northeast Southeast Southwest
Flowering late May-early June March-April
Fruits Ripe late Aug-September June June-August
Seedfall late Aug-October June-early July
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Plant Response to Fire
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
Black cherry typically sprouts when aboveground portions are killed by
fire. It is generally considered a prolific sprouter. Each top-killed
individual produces several sprouts that grow rapidly.
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Post-fire Regeneration
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
root crownsurvivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Regeneration Processes
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
forest,
frequency,
hardwood,
litter,
natural,
seed,
stratification,
treeSeed production: In natural stands maximum seed production occurs on
30- to 100-year-old trees. Some seed is produced almost every year,
with good crops produced at 1- to 5-year intervals [
39]. In
Pennsylvania, large seed crops occur about every other year [
8]. There
are about 4,800 cleaned seeds per pound (10,560/kg) [
39].
Dispersal: Seeds are dispersed by gravity, birds, and mammals. The
fruits fall shortly after ripening in late summer or fall. Seeds not
dispersed by animals generally land near the parent tree. Thus the
abundance of seedlings in the understory is related to the number and
distribution of seed trees in the overstory. Because of animal
dispersal, however, black cherry seedlings are often abundant in stands
with no or few seed-producing black cherry trees [
1,
15,
29,
41,
51].
Germination tests show that black cherry seeds that pass through the
digestive tracts of passerine birds successfully germinate after proper
cold stratification, and have higher germination rates than undigested
seeds [
30,
51].
Seed quality: Usually over 90 percent of seeds are sound [
8,
59].
Dormancy and germination: Black cherry seeds require cold
stratification to germinate. This occurs as seeds overwinter on the
forest floor [
39]. Black cherry exhibits delayed germination: seeds
from one crop germinate over a period of 3 years. Of seed artificially
sown and buried 1 inch below the soil surface in a northern hardwood
stand in Pennsylvania, 22, 42, and 4 percent germinated the first,
second, and third year, respectively [
36]. In another germination
study, 10, 50, and 25 percent germinated 1, 2, and 3 years after burial,
respectively [
62]. Delayed germination allows black cherry to bank
large amounts of seed in the forest floor. There are typically hundreds
of thousands of black cherry seeds stored in the soil of black
cherry-maple stands in Pennsylvania in any given year [
36]. Each spring
about one-half of these germinate.
Black cherry's moisture and light requirements for germination are not
as exacting as those of its associates [
44]. However, moist seedbeds
ensure good germination. Seeds germinate in loose soil and forest
litter, but germination is somewhat higher in litter than mineral soil
[
39,
44].
Seedling growth and survival: Seedlings typically grow to a height of 2
to 4 inches (5-10 cm) 30 days after germination. In dense shade, they
grow very slowly, sometimes reaching 6 inches (15 cm) in height in 3 or
4 years, but die thereafter unless released [
39]. An understory of tiny
black cherry seedlings is common in numerous mixed deciduous forests.
If the canopy is opened due to windthrow, harvest, or other disturbance,
the seedlings survive well and grow rapidly in full sunlight [
39].
Vegetative reproduction: Black cherry sprouts vigorously from the stump
following cutting or fire [
32,
55]. Sprouting frequency of stumps
remains high, probably over 90 percent, for trees up to about 60 years
of age [
32].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Regional Distribution in the Western United States
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):
7 Lower Basin and Range
13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont
14 Great Plains
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Successional Status
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info on this topic. More info for the terms:
cover,
cover type,
forest,
seed,
successionBlack cherry is a seral, shade-intolerant, gap-phase species [
13]. It
rarely occurs in the canopy of late successional deciduous forests but
buried seed and seedlings are often present in the understory.
Seedlings may survive in the understory for about 5 years but then die
or die-back to the stem base unless released [
5,
39]. Seedlings that die
are soon replaced because of the abundance of buried seed. Any
disturbance which opens the canopy will release this bank of suppressed
seedlings. Once released, young black cherry grow rapidly and quickly
fill the gap, overtopping shade-tolerant associates.
Because of its abundant soil-stored seeds and prolific sprouting
ability, black cherry dominates secondary succession following logging,
fire, or wind-throw [
44]. The Society of American Forester's black
cherry - maple cover type (SAF 28) is a second-growth or intermediate
successional stage created by widespread clearcutting at the turn of the
century. This type is successional to beech-hemlock-sugar maple [
18].
In bur and white oak (Quercus macrocarpa, Q. alba) woodlands in southern
Wisconsin, black cherry accounts for about one-half of the total number
of seedlings and saplings but is largely absent from the overstory.
Under the shade of the oaks, black cherry saplings repeatedly die-back
to the stem base and resprout. Black cherry can persist, by maintaining
a small aboveground size, for 40 to 60 years until released [
4,
5].
Long-distance seed dispersal by birds is important in the establishment
of black cherry along fence rows and into forest openings, old fields,
and pine plantations [
2,
51].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Taxonomy
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
The currently accepted scientific name of black cherry is Prunus
serotina Ehrh. [
34]. Recognized varieties found in the United States
and Canada include:
Prunus serotina var. serotina, black cherry
Prunus serotina var. alabamensis (Mohr) Little, Alabama black cherry
Prunus serotina var. exima (Small) Little, escarpment black cherry
Prunus serotina var. rufula (Woot. & Standl) McVaugh, southwestern black cherry
Prunus serotina Ehrh. var. virens (Woot. & Standl.) McVaugh, black cherry
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Value for rehabilitation of disturbed sites
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the terms:
reclamation,
seedBlack cherry is used for surface mine spoil reclamation in the East.
Best results are obtained by planting 1-year-old or older nursery grown
seedlings. Direct seeding has generally been unsuccessful. In
Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma, 30-year-old plantings at 9 sites
averaged 22 percent survival, 5.2 inches d.b.h. (13 cm), and 36 feet (11
m) in height [
60].
Methods for collecting, extracting, cleaning, storing, and sowing black
cherry seed to produce nursery grown seedlings are available [
21,
59].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Wood Products Value
provided by Fire Effects Information System Plants
More info for the term:
treeBlack cherry is an important commercial tree. The rich reddish-brown
wood is strong, hard, and close-grained. It works well and finishes
smoothly, making it one of the most valued cabinet and furniture woods
in North America [
59]. Black cherry wood is also used for paneling,
interior trim, veneers, handles, crafts, toys, and scientific
instruments [
17,
58]. Black cherry's commercial range, where large
numbers of high-quality trees are found, is restricted to the Allegheny
Plateau of Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia [
39].
- bibliographic citation
- Uchytil, Ronald J. 1991. Prunus serotina. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/
Associated Forest Cover
provided by Silvics of North America
Throughout the eastern United States, black cherry is a component
of many forest cover types (18). It is primarily a northern
hardwood species, occurring as a common associate in most cover
types of this group. Northern hardwood stands that contain large
amounts of black cherry are recognized as a separate type: Black
Cherry-Maple (Society of American Foresters Type 28) is found in
the Allegheny Plateau and Allegheny Mountain sections of
Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and West Virginia.
Black cherry is also found as a minor component of pine and
hemlock types and other northern hardwood types in the Northern
Forest Region, as well as upland oaks and other central types in
the -central Forest Region. Black cherry is mentioned as a
component of the following types:
14 Northern Pin Oak
17 Pin Cherry
119 Gray Birch-Red Maple
20 White Pine-Northern Red Oak- Red Maple
21 Eastern White Pine
22 White Pine-Hemlock
23 Eastern Hemlock
25 Sugar Maple-Beech-Yellow Birch
28 Black Cherry-Maple
31 Red Spruce-Sugar Maple-Beech
43 Bear Oak
44 Chestnut Oak
51 White Pine-Chestnut Oak
52 White Oak-Black Oak-Northern Red Oak
55 Northern Red Oak
57 Yellow-Poplar
59 Yellow-Poplar-White Oak-Northern Red Oak
60 Beech-Sugar Maple
64 Sassafras-Persimmon
108 Red Maple
109 Hawthorn
110 Black Oak
Other tree associates of black cherry in addition to those
mentioned in the type names include white ash (Fraxinus
americana), cucumbertree (Magnolia acuminata), sweet
birch (Betula lenta), American basswood (Tilia
americana), butternut (Juglans cinerea), scarlet oak
(Quercus coccinea), balsam fir (Abies balsamea), quaking
and bigtooth aspens (Populus tremuloides and P. grandidentata),
American elm and rock elm (Ulmus americana and U.
thomasii). Important small tree associates include striped
maple (Acer pensylvanicum), pin cherry (Prunus
pensylvanica), eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya uirginiana),
American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), and downy
serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea). Shrubs common in
forest stands that contain significant amounts of black cherry
include witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), hobblebush
(Viburnum alnifolium), and various other viburnums.
Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula), New York
fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis), shorthusk grass (Bracheylytrum
erectum), violets (Viola spp.), wood sorrel (Oxalis
spp.), asters (Aster spp.), and club
mosses (Lycopodium spp.) are also prevalent in
the understory in many areas.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Climate
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry and its varieties grow under a wide range of climatic
conditions. In the heart of the commercial range on the Allegheny
Plateau of Pennsylvania and New York, the climate is cool, moist,
and temperate with average annual precipitation of 970 to 1120 mm
(38 to 44 in) well distributed throughout the year. Summer
precipitation averages 510 to 610 mm (20 to 24 in), and the
frost-free growing season is 120 to 155 days. Winter snowfalls
average 89 to 203 cm (35 to 80 in), and 45 to 90 days have snow
cover of 2.5 cm (1 in) or more. Mean annual potential
evapotranspiration approximates 430 to 710 mm (17 to 28 in), and
mean annual water surplus is 100 to 610 mm (4 to 24 in). January
temperatures average a maximum of 1° to 6° C (34°
to 43° F) and a minimum of -11° to -6° C (12°
to 22° F). July temperatures average a maximum of 27°
to 29° C (80° to 85° F) and a minimum of 11°
to 16° C (52° to 60° F) (42).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Damaging Agents
provided by Silvics of North America
The most important defoliating insects
attacking black cherry include the eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma
americanum) and the cherry scallop shell moth (Hydria
prunivorata) (3). Infestations of these insects are
sporadically heavy, with some apparent growth loss and occasional
mortality if heavy defoliations occur several years in a row.
Attacks by numerous species of insects cause gum defects in black
cherry, resulting in reduced timber quality. Gum spots in the
wood are often associated with the Agromyzid cambium miner (Phytobia
pruni), the peach bark beetle (Phloeotribus liminaris),
and by the lesser peachtree borer (Synathedon pictipes)
(35,40,66). A wide variety of insects can cause injury to
terminal shoots of black cherry seedlings and saplings, resulting
in stem deformity. Archips spp. and Contarinia
cerasiserotinae are among the more important (64).
The most common disease is cherry leaf spot caused by Coccomyces
lutescens (36). Large numbers of black cherry seedlings are
sometimes weakened or killed by this disease. Repeated attacks
reduce the vigor of larger trees. Most other foliage diseases
cause little damage.
Black knot, a native disease caused by the fungus Apiosporina
morbosa is common on black cherry (27). It causes elongated
rough black swellings several times the diameter of the normal
stem. Small twigs may be killed within a year after infection.
Large cankerous swellings, a foot or more in length, may occur on
the trunks of larger trees, and where several such lesions are
scattered along the bole, the tree is worthless for lumber. Cytospora
leucostoma is the cause of a canker disease responsible for
widespread branch mortality of black cherry in Pennsylvania (26).
Common infection courts are decaying fruit racemes and bark
fissures caused by excessive gum production following passage of
the larvae of Phytobia pruni, a cambium mining insect.
Several basidiomycete fungi that cause root and butt rot of living
black cherry trees include Armillaria mellea, Coniophora
cerebella, Polyporus berkeleyi, and Tyromyces spraguei.
Many other fungi cause decay of the main trunk; these include
Fomes fomentarius, Fomitopsis pinicola, Poria prunicola. P.
mutans, and Laetiporus sulphureus (29,36). Damage
caused by glaze storms exposes black cherry to infection by
top-rot fungi (16).
Porcupines girdle and kill black cherry trees and also consume
bark, thereby providing entry points for fungi. Meadow mice and
meadow voles girdle the stem near the ground (37). Such damage
where grass or other herbaceous cover provides suitable habitat
for the mice is probably one of the major causes of planting
failure in unregenerated clearcuts and old fields.
White-tailed deer, rabbits, and hare feed on black cherry
seedlings (36). In parts of Pennsylvania, deer browsing is the
most serious problem of black cherry. Reproduction sometimes is
completely eliminated by browsing, and most regeneration cuts are
affected by reduced stocking, delays in establishment, and shifts
in species composition toward less palatable beech and striped
maple (50,57). Damage is dramatic after clearcutting, but damage
to advance reproduction also is important.
In areas of high deer population such as Pennsylvania, successful
reproduction can be assured only where advance seedlings are so
abundant that deer cannot eat all of them in the few years
required for them to grow out of reach (55,57). Black cherry
fares somewhat better than associated species such as sugar
maple, red maple, white ash, and yellowpoplar, which are
preferred deer browse. Where successful regeneration develops
after clearcutting in this region, it is often nearly pure black
cherry. Guidelines and techniques for regenerating stands with
black cherry have been developed (56,58).
Cherry is somewhat more vulnerable to storm damage than many of
its associates because it often towers above the general canopy
in mixed stands. Sapling and pole-sized trees are frequently bent
by glaze or wet snow, causing loss of the leader and severe
crooks that make them unsuitable for sawtimber. Cherry trees make
remarkable recovery after breakage, however, with little loss of
diameter growth. Decay spreads more slowly in cherry than in some
of the associated species, so long-term effects are less severe
than they seem to be at first (36,65).
Cherry trees of all sizes are highly susceptible to fire injury.
Even large trees are killed by moderate to severe fire, but most
resprout unless the fire was unusually hot. Black cherry is
intolerant of flooding. Of 39 species studied in a Tennessee
flood test, black cherry was the most sensitive to high water
(28).
Certain herbaceous plants interfere with establishment of black
cherry regeneration through an allelopathic mechanism. Flat top
aster (Aster umbellatus), rough stemmed goldenrod (Solidago
rugosa), brackenfern (Pteridium aquilinum) and wild
oatgrass (Danthonia compressa) (30) release chemicals
from their leaves or roots that sometimes interfere with black
cherry growth and development. Woodland fern and grasses may also
interfere with black cherry regeneration, through a complex of
mechanisms that involve both light and nitrogen effects (31,34).
Black cherry may interfere with regeneration of other tree
species, such as red maple (32), but this has not been
investigated thoroughly.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Flowering and Fruiting
provided by Silvics of North America
Unlike domestic cherries, which
flower before the leaves appear, black cherry flowers late in
relation to leaf development. At the latitude of 41° to 42°
N. in Pennsylvania and New York, black cherry flowers usually
appear around May 15 to May 20. At that time, the leaves are
nearly full-grown though still reddish in color (36). Flower
development in other parts of the range varies with climate-from
the end of March in Texas to the first week of June in Quebec,
Canada.
Black cherry flowers are white, solitary, and borne in umbel-like
racemes. The flowers are perfect and are insect pollinated (22).
Several species of flies, a flower beetle, and several species of
bees, including the honey bee, work the blossoms for pollen and
nectar. Self-pollination has been observed, but none of the
self-pollinated flowers developed into viable seeds (21).
Late spring frosts may damage the flowers before they open, and
frosts occasionally cause large numbers of newly set fruits to
fall from the pedicels without maturing (36). Premature dropping
of green fruits is also a problem in some years. The fruit is a
one-seeded drupe about 10 min (0.38 in) in diameter with a bony
stone or pit. The fruit is black when ripe.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Genetics
provided by Silvics of North America
Several varieties of black cherry have been recognized in the
southern portion of the range: var. alabamensis, Alabama
black cherry; var. eximia, escarpment cherry; var. rufula,
southwestern black cherry or Gila chokecherry; and var. salicifolia,
the capulin black cherry (36).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Growth and Yield
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry grows very fast in the
seedling, sapling, and pole stages, generally outgrowing and
overtopping common associates such as sugar maple and beech. This
gives rise to evenaged stands that are distinctly stratified into
crown layers and diameters based on species. Black cherry
generally occupies the dominant and codominant crown strata,
while sugar maple and beech occupy an intermediate or suppressed
crown position. Where present, species of intermediate tolerance
such as red maple and white ash tend to be intermediate in crown
position and size between the cherry and the sugar maple and
beech. In stands where tolerant sugar maple and beech are present
in the dominant crown positions alongside black cherry, the
tolerants are often residuals of the previous stand that had a
distinct head start on the cherry (51).
Black cherry maintains its growth advantage over associated
species for 60 to 80 years, so the proportion of the basal area
or volume in cherry tends to increase over time in mixed stands.
By age 60, codominant red maple diameter growth is often as good
as or better than that of codominant cherry. Beyond age 80 to 100
years, diameter growth slows, mortality of cherry increases
rapidly, and the importance of the species in the stand declines.
However, few stands of such age are available to judge the
rapidity with which cherry disintegrates at advanced ages. Site
index curves for black cherry on the Alleghany Plateau have
recently been developed (2).
Average annual diameter growth of black cherry dominants and
codominants might be 0.65 cm (0.25 in) between ages 10 and 40
years, 0.5 cm (0.20 in) between ages 40 and 70 years, and 0.4 cm
(0.15 in) between ages 70 and 100 years.
Growing space requirements for black cherry are considerably lower
than for the associated species (except for hemlock) (71). Thus,
stands containing a high percentage of black cherry carry more
basal area and more volume per acre than stands with a low
percentage of cherry. For example, full stocking for stands with
a quadratic average stand diameter of 25 cm (10 in) is 31.7 m²
of basal area per hectare (138 ft²/acre) if there is 20
percent cherry, and 42.2 m²2 (184 ft² if there is 80
percent cherry. Maximum stocking also varies with stand diameter.
Stocking is 31.7, 37.0, and 40.4 m²/ha (138, 161, and 176 ft²/acre)
at average quadratic stand diameters of 15, 25, and 35 cm (6, 10,
and 14 in), respectively, for stands with 50 percent cherry
(67,72).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Reaction to Competition
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry is classed as
intolerant of shade. Although black cherry seedlings are common
under uncut stands and survive for 3 to 5 years, they do not live
for extended periods or move up into larger size classes without
moderate to heavy opening of the overstory canopy.
In sapling and larger sizes, black cherry trees are considered
very intolerant of competition. Cherry trees are found primarily
in the dominant and codominant crown classes. Those individuals
that drop to lower crown levels decline in growth and soon die.
Thus, diameter distribution of black cherry in even-aged stands
follows the bell-shaped curve typical of intolerant species (51).
Black cherry dominants and codominants respond to thinning with
slight to moderate increases in diameter growth, especially at
ages up to 50 or 60 years (17,36,54). But thinning does not
generally produce a response in trees that have been suppressed.
Even early thinnings and cleanings intended to elevate
intermediate or suppressed cherry to codominate crown positions
generally have failed (13,73).
Even-aged silviculture best satisfies the silvical requirements
for black cherry regeneration, using either clearcutting where
advance seedlings are already present or shelterwood cutting to
develop them where they are absent (56,58). Advance seedlings and
seed stored in the forest floor generally make retention of seed
trees unnecessary. Uneven-aged silviculture, especially
single-tree selection, tends to gradually eliminate cherry from
the stands, because cherry does Dot move up into the dominant
canopy without at least moderate levels of sunlight (46) . Group
selection cutting might maintain small percentages of cherry in
unevenaged stands, though this has never been demonstrated
clearly.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Rooting Habit
provided by Silvics of North America
The root system of black cherry is
predominantly spreading and shallow, even in well-drained soils.
Most roots are restricted to the upper 60 cm (24 in) of soil or
less, with occasional sinker roots extending to depths of 90 to
120 cm (36 to 48 in). On wet sites, the tendency toward shallow
rooting is especially pronounced. Because of this tendency to
grow taller than associated species in mixed stands, cherry is
vulnerable to windthrow, especially on poorly drained soils and
at older ages (36).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Seed Production and Dissemination
provided by Silvics of North America
Limited flowering of
black cherry seedlings in a seed orchard has been observed a few
years after planting (5). Viable seeds have been produced on
open-grown seedlings or sprouts as young as 10 years of age and
on trees as old as 180 years. However, the period of maximum seed
production in natural stands is generally between 30 and 100
years of age (36). Some individual trees never produce
significant quantities of seed even when they reach an age and
crown position where it is expected.
In most stands of seed-bearing age, some seeds are produced nearly
every year. Good crops occur at intervals of 1 to 5 years across
the geographic range of black cherry; on the Alleghany Plateau of
northwestern Pennsylvania, good crops have occurred about every
other year (7,23). On the Allegheny Plateau, fruit ripening and
seedfall occur between August 15 and mid-September; the time is
earlier in the southern range and later in the northern range. In
the southeastern United States, fruits ripen in late June and
seedfall is complete by early July. There may be as much as 3
weeks difference in fruit maturation dates between trees growing
in the same stand.
Cleaned black cherry seeds range from 6,800 to 17,900/kg (3,100 to
8,100/lb), averaging 10,600/kg (4,800/lb). Seed weight varies
geographically, with larger seeds in the northwest range and
smaller seeds in the south and east.
The bulk of the seed crop falls to the ground in the vicinity of
the parent tree. Circles of advance seedlings beneath scattered
cherry trees and an absence of seedlings elsewhere are common
occurrences in closed stands. As a result, the amount of black
cherry advance reproduction is highly dependent on the number and
distribution of seed-producing trees in the overstory (7).
Songbirds distribute modest quantities of seeds in their
droppings or by regurgitation. Omnivorous mammals, such as foxes
and bears, also distribute seeds in their droppings. Bird and
mammal distribution often accounts for a surprising abundance of
advance cherry seedlings in stands lacking cherry seed producers.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Seedling Development
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry seeds require a period
of after-ripening before germination will take place (22). Under
natural conditions, this occurs during winter months in the
forest floor. The usual pattern is for seeds of 1 year's crop to
germinate over the following 3 or more years (45,77). Because of
frequent seed crops and delayed germination, often a considerable
quantity of viable cherry seeds is stored in the forest floor
beneath cherry stands, freeing natural regeneration from
dependency on current seed production (45).
At the time of germination, the endosperm swells and splits the
stone into two halves. Contrary to some beliefs, germination does
not depend upon splitting of the seed coat by frost, or partial
decomposition of the bony seed coat by soil organisms, or being
passed through the digestive tract of birds. Germination is
hypogeous; that is, the cotyledons remain below the soil surface
(22).
Seedbed requirements for germination are not rigid. Mineral soil
is not required. In fact, germination is somewhat less on mineral
soil than on undisturbed humus or leaf litter (37,43). Few seeds
germinate in areas that have had the organic horizons stripped
off or that are compacted by logging machinery. A moist seedbed
is required for good germination, and burial of seeds to a depth
of several inches is beneficial, apparently because it provides a
stable moisture supply. Shade also improves germination by
helping to maintain stable moisture. Germination is best beneath
a canopy that represents 60 percent stocking or more, and
germination decreases at lower canopy densities and is poorest in
full sunlight (43,47).
Under a forest canopy, myriads of cherry seedlings start in the
vicinity of seed trees practically every year. Many of these
survive 3 or 4 years even under the dense shade of an uncut
stand, but few grow to be more than 12 or 15 cm (5 or 6 in) tall
or survive more than 5 years under that low level of light.
Nevertheless, those that die are quickly replaced by newly
germinated seedlings, so a fairly dense understory of small black
cherry seedlings is often present under seed-producing stands of
black cherry. Where canopy density has been reduced by partial
cutting, cherry advance seedlings survive longer and grow taller
in response to the higher level of light (47,49). Overstory
stocking levels of 50 to 70 percent provide optimum conditions
for establishment of black cherry advance reproduction (48). Good
germination and high survival provide for maximum seedling
numbers at this level, and seedling heights of 0.3 to 0.6 in (I
to 2 ft) are achieved in about 5 years. Best height growth of
established seedlings, however, occurs in full sunlight (43,49).
Black cherry seedlings reach a height of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in)
within 30 days of germination. Under dense shade they do not grow
much more, averaging less than 3 cm (1 in) of growth per year
until they die because of lack of light. In the open, cherry
stems have the potential to grow faster than most associated
species. Juvenile height growth often averages 46 cm (18 in), and
a few individuals may grow 91 cm (36 in) or more per year. With
fertilization, annual terminal growth of 1.2 to 1.8 m (4 to 6 ft)
is common; growth of up to 2.4 in (8 ft) per year has been
observed on some trees (1).
Seedlings typically develop a taproot with numerous laterals
during the first few years. Under adequate light, the roots
penetrate 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) the first year in most soils.
Well before black cherry reaches sapling size, a spreading form
of root system develops in which a distinct taproot is no longer
evident (36).
Black cherry advance seedlings more than 15 cm (6 in) tall and at
least 2 years old survive well and grow rapidly after exposure to
full sunlight. Smaller seedlings survive in somewhat lower
numbers, but they can be important sources of regeneration too.
Smaller seedlings survive better if they grow under a partially
cut canopy before release rather than under an uncut canopy (53).
A two-cut shelterwood sequence provides the best conditions for
the establishment and subsequent growth of black cherry
regeneration. The seed cut should reduce the overstory to 50 or
60 percent relative density to provide for establishment of a
large number of seedlings of modest size. A removal cut 5 to 10
years later releases the established seedlings for rapid growth
and development (49). In some stands, adequate numbers of advance
seedlings are present naturally, and the overstory removal or
clearcut can be made without an earlier seed cut (25). The
presence of advance seedlings is critical, however, and
clearcutting may not regenerate cherry in stands where advance
seedlings are lacking, especially where deer browsing,
interfering plants, or other factors limit reproduction (55,56).
Some black cherry seedlings do become established after removal
cutting, and these supplement those that originated as advance
seedlings. But direct exposure to sunlight is not conducive to
best germination. For this reason, small clearcut patches or
strips often provide better regeneration than large block
clearcuts (36), except where advance seedlings are adequate by
themselves.
In stands where all species start at the same time, cherry quickly
overtops tolerant species (51). Under partial shade, however,
height growth of cherry is often less than that of its tolerant
associates (48), and cherry is far less likely to grow into the
main canopy through small gaps created by removal of a single
tree. As a result, single-tree selection cutting generally
discriminates against black cherry reproduction (46).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Soils and Topography
provided by Silvics of North America
Throughout its range in eastern North America, black cherry grows
well on a wide variety of soils if summer growing conditions are
cool and moist. In Canada it grows near sea level, whereas in
Appalachian coves it exists at elevations up to 1520 m (5,000 ft)
or more (36). Best development occurs on the Allegheny Plateau at
elevations of 300 to 790 m (1,000 to 2,600 ft).
On the Allegheny Plateau, black cherry develops well on all soils
except for the very wettest and very driest (36). There seem to
be no major changes in site quality between soils developed from
glacial till and those of residual origin. Black cherry tolerates
a wide range of soil drainage. It grows about the same on
well-drained sites as on somewhat poorly drained sites but shows
rapid loss in productivity with increasingly wetter conditions
(6,12). The dry soils of ridge tops and of south- and west-facing
slopes are less favorable for black cherry than the moist soils
of middle and lower slopes on north and east exposures (15,36)
though these effects are much less pronounced on the Allegheny
Plateau than in the steep topography of the Appalachians.
Though great diversity exists, most of the forest soils important
to black cherry are very strongly acid, relatively infertile, and
have high, coarse fragment content throughout their profile.
Kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral and is responsible for
relatively low cation exchange properties (14). The bulk of the
upland soils have textures that range from sandy loam to silty
clay loam, and many soils have developed fragipans that impede
drainage and restrict root growth (6,12,59). The large majority
of upland soils are classified as Inceptisols or Ultisols
according to present taxonomy, but Alfisols are also frequently
present in colluvial landscape positions (59,75).
Further southward throughout the Appalachian Highlands, black
cherry generally grows on good to excellent sites as a scattered
individual in association with other mesophytic hardwoods
(36,74), and sometimes in nearly pure stands at high elevations
on soils with impeded drainage. In the Lake States, black cherry
prefers deep, well-drained soils and is adversely affected by
increasingly poorer soil drainage (9).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Special Uses
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry fruits are an important source of mast for many
nongame birds, squirrel, deer, turkey, mice and moles, and other
wildlife. The leaves, twigs, and bark of black cherry contain
cyanide in bound form as the cyanogenic glycoside, prunasin (33).
During foliage wilting, cyanide is released and domestic
livestock that eat wilted foliage may get sick or die (38). Deer
eat unwilted foliage without harm (36).
The bark has medicinal properties. In the southern Appalachians,
bark is stripped from young black cherries for use in cough
medicines, tonics, and sedatives (36,39). The fruit is used for
making jelly and wine. Appalachian pioneers sometimes flavored
their rum or brandy with the fruit to make a drink called cherry
bounce. To this, the species owes one of its names-rum cherry
(36).
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Vegetative Reproduction
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry readily sprouts from
stumps and the sprouts grow rapidly, especially in full sunlight.
Small, suppressed seedlings that have been released from overhead
shade but which are bent or broken by logging operations will
produce well-formed sprouts from the root collar (63). These
seedling sprouts are an important and highly desirable source of
regeneration. Even large old stumps sometimes are capable of
sprouting; a 258-year-old, 122-cm (48-in) d.b.h. black cherry
sprouted when cut. Maximum sprouting occurs in trees less than 40
or 50 years of age however. Clearcuttings of very young second
growth cherry stands has resulted in third growth cherry stands
in which more than half of the trees were of sprout origin (36).
Sprouts of cherry tend to have poorer form than comparable
seedlings but grow faster than seedlings during the first 20 to
30 years. Although trees of seedling or seedling-sprout origin
are preferred for timber production, usually several stems of
each sprout clump are capable of growing into high quality
sawtimber (41,78). The incidence of butt rot from the parent
stump is not as great in black cherry sprouts from stumps as
large as 25 cm (10 in) in diameter or from stumps that have been
overgrown by their sprouts by 35 years of age (8). Thus, sprouts
of good form originating low on the stump are not discriminated
against in silvicultural operations.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Brief Summary
provided by Silvics of North America
Rosaceae Rose family
David A. Marquis
Black cherry (Prunus serotina), the largest of the native
cherries and the only one of commercial value, is found
throughout the Eastern United States. It is also known as wild
black cherry, rum cherry, and mountain black cherry. Large,
high-quality trees suited for furniture wood or veneer are found
in large numbers in a more restricted commercial range on the
Allegheny Plateau of Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia
(36,44). Smaller quantities of high-quality trees grow in
scattered locations along the southern Appalachian Mountains and
the upland areas of the Gulf Coastal Plain. Elsewhere, black
cherry is often a small, poorly formed tree of relatively low
commercial value, but important to wildlife for its fruit.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Distribution
provided by Silvics of North America
Black cherry grows from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick west to
Southern Quebec and Ontario into Michigan and eastern Minnesota;
south to Iowa, extreme eastern Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas,
then east to central Florida. Several varieties extend the range:
Alabama black cherry (var. alabamensis) is found in
eastern Georgia, northeastern Alabama, and northwest Florida with
local stands in North and South Carolina; escarpment cherry (var.
eximia) grows in the Edwards Plateau region of central
Texas; southwestern black cherry (var. rufula) ranges
from the mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas west to Arizona and south
into Mexico; capulin black cherry (var. salicifolia) is native
from central Mexico to Guatemala and is naturalized in several
South American countries.
-The native range of black cherry.
- license
- cc-by-nc
- copyright
- USDA, Forest Service
Prunus serotina
provided by wikipedia EN
Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry,[3] wild black cherry, rum cherry,[4] or mountain black cherry,[5] is a deciduous tree or shrub[6] of the genus Prunus. Despite being called black cherry, it is not very closely related to the commonly cultivated cherries such as sweet cherry (P. avium), sour cherry (P. cerasus) and Japanese flowering cherries (P. serrulata, P. speciosa, P. sargentii, P. incisa, etc.) which belong to Prunus subg. Cerasus. Instead, P. serotina belongs to Prunus subg. Padus, a subgenus also including Eurasian bird cherry (P. padus) and chokecherry (P. virginiana).[7][8][9] The species is widespread and common in North America and South America.[10][11][12][13]
Black cherry is closely related to the chokecherry (P. virginiana); chokecherry, however, tends to be shorter (a shrub or small tree) and has smaller, less glossy leaves.
Description
Prunus serotina is a medium-sized, fast-growing forest tree growing to a height of 15–24 metres (49–79 feet). The leaves are 5–13 centimetres (2–5 inches) long, ovate-lanceolate in shape, with finely toothed margins. Fall leaf color is yellow to red. Flowers are small, white and 5-petalled, in racemes 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long which contain several dozen flowers. The flowers give rise to reddish-black "berries" (drupes) fed on by birds,[6] 5–10 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄8 in) in diameter.[10][14]
Prunus serotina flower cluster.
For about its first decade the bark of a black cherry tree is thin, smooth, and banded, resembling a birch. A mature tree has very broken, dark gray to black bark. The leaves are long and shiny, resembling a sourwood's. An almond-like odour is released when a young twig is scratched and held close to the nose, revealing minute amounts of cyanide compounds produced and stored by the plant as a defense mechanism against herbivores.[15][16]
Biochemistry
Like apricots and apples, the seeds of black cherries contain cyanogenic glycosides, compounds that can be converted into cyanide, such as amygdalin.[17][18] These compounds release hydrogen cyanide when the seed is ground or minced, which releases enzymes that break down the compounds. These enzymes include amygdalin beta-glucosidase, prunasin beta-glucosidase and mandelonitrile lyase.[19] In contrast, although the flesh of cherries also contains these compounds, it does not contain the enzymes needed to produce cyanide, so the flesh is safe to eat.[20]
The foliage, particularly when wilted, also contains cyanogenic glycosides, which convert to hydrogen cyanide if eaten by animals.[21] Farmers are recommended to remove any trees that fall in a field containing livestock, because the wilted leaves could poison the animals. Removal is not always practical, though, because they 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 poisonous tree, making it difficult to monitor all the branches falling into the grazing area. Black cherry is a leading cause of livestock illness, and grazing animals' access to it should be limited.
Subdivisions
Prunus serotina has the following subspecies and varieties:[22]
-
Prunus serotina subsp. capuli (Cav. ex Spreng.) McVaugh – central + southern Mexico
-
Prunus serotina subsp. eximia (Small) McVaugh – Texas
-
Prunus serotina subsp. hirsuta (Elliott) McVaugh (syn. Prunus serotina var. alabamensis (C. Mohr) Little) – southeastern United States
-
Prunus serotina subsp. serotina – Canada, United States, Mexico, Guatemala
-
Prunus serotina subsp. virens (Wooton & Standl.) McVaugh – southwestern United States, northern + central Mexico
-
Prunus serotina var. virens (Wooton & Standl.) McVaugh
-
Prunus serotina var. rufula (Wooton & Standl.) McVaugh
Ecology
Prunus serotina 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. Gleason and Cronquist (1991) describe P. serotina as "[f]ormerly a forest tree, now abundant as a weed-tree of roadsides, waste land, and forest-margins".[23] It is a moderately long-lived tree, with ages of up to 258 years known, though it is prone to storm damage, with branches breaking easily; any decay resulting, however, only progresses slowly. Seed production begins around 10 years of age, but does not become heavy until 30 years and continues up to 100 years or more. Germination rates are high, and the seeds are widely dispersed by birds and bears[24] who eat the fruit and then excrete them. Some seeds however may remain in the soil bank and not germinate for as long as three years. All Prunus species have hard seeds that benefit from scarification to germinate (which in nature is produced by passing through an animal's digestive tract).
Deer browse the foliage.[24]
Pests and diseases
P. serotina is a host of caterpillars of various Lepidoptera. The eastern tent caterpillar defoliates entire groves some springs.
Uses
Known as capolcuahuitl in Nahuatl (the source of the capuli epithet), it was an important food in pre-Columbian Mexico. Native Americans ate the fruit.[24] Edible raw, the fruit is also made into jelly, and the juice can be used as a drink mixer, hence the common name 'rum cherry'.[25]
Prunus serotina timber is valuable; perhaps the premier cabinetry timber of the U.S., traded as "cherry". High quality cherry timber is known for its strong orange hues, tight grain and high price. Low-quality wood, as well as the sap wood, can be more tan. Its density when dried is around 580 kg/m3 (36 lb/cu ft).
Prunus serotina was widely introduced into Western and Central Europe as an ornamental tree[26] in the mid-20th century,[27][28] where it has become locally naturalized.[26] It has acted as an invasive species there, negatively affecting forest community biodiversity and regeneration.[29][30]
Prunus serotina subsp. capuli was cultivated in Central and South America well before European contact.[31]
References
-
^ Stritch, L. (2018). "Prunus serotina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T61957524A61957527. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T61957524A61957527.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
-
^ "Prunus serotina". Richard Pankhurst et al. Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh – via The Plant List.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) Note that this website has been superseded by World Flora Online -
^ World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. ISBN 978-1-4665-7681-0. p. 833–.
-
^ "Prunus serotina (Black Cherry, Wild Cherry, Wild Rum Cherry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
-
^ "Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin". www.wildflower.org. Retrieved 2021-01-23.
-
^ a b "Prunus serotina". NC State Extension. NC Cooperative Extension. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
-
^ Wen, Jun; Berggren, Scott T.; Lee, Chung-Hee; Ickert-Bond, Stefanie; Yi, Ting-Shuang; Yoo, Ki-Oug; Xie, Lei; Shaw, Joey; Potter, Dan (2008-05-18). "Phylogenetic inferences in Prunus (Rosaceae) using chloroplast ndhF and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 46 (3): 322. doi:10.3724/SP.J.1002.2008.08065 (inactive 31 December 2022). ISSN 1674-4918.
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of December 2022 (link) -
^ Liu, Xiao-Lin; Wen, Jun; Nie, Ze-Long; Johnson, Gabriel; Liang, Zong-Suo; Chang, Zhao-Yang (2013-05-01). "Polyphyly of the Padus group of Prunus (Rosaceae) and the evolution of biogeographic disjunctions between eastern Asia and eastern North America". Journal of Plant Research. 126 (3): 351–361. doi:10.1007/s10265-012-0535-1. ISSN 1618-0860. PMID 23239308. S2CID 5991106.
-
^ Shi, Shuo; Li, Jinlu; Sun, Jiahui; Yu, Jing; Zhou, Shiliang (2013). "Phylogeny and classification of Prunus sensu lato (Rosaceae)". Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 55 (11): 1069–1079. doi:10.1111/jipb.12095. ISSN 1744-7909. PMID 23945216.
-
^ a b Rohrer, Joseph R. (2014). "Prunus serotina". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 9. New York and Oxford – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
-
^ "Prunus serotina". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014.
-
^ Morales Quirós, J. F. 2014. Rosaceae. En: Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica. Vol. VII. B.E. Hammel, M.H. Grayum, C. Herrera & N. Zamora (eds.). Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 129: 437–463
-
^ Jørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.
-
^ "Prunus serotina - Plant Finder".
-
^ "Black cherry (Prunus serotina)". ISU Forestry Extension. Iowa State University. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
-
^ "VT Forest Biology and Dendrology". Cnr.vt.edu. Archived from the original on 2007-09-13. Retrieved 2012-10-22.
-
^ Poulton JE (1988). "Localization and catabolism of cyanogenic glycosides". Ciba Foundation Symposium. Novartis Foundation Symposia. 140: 67–91. doi:10.1002/9780470513712.ch6. ISBN 9780470513712. PMID 3073063.
-
^ Swain E, Poulton JE (October 1994). "Utilization of Amygdalin during Seedling Development of Prunus serotina". Plant Physiology. 106 (2): 437–445. doi:10.1104/pp.106.2.437. PMC 159548. PMID 12232341.
-
^ Yemm RS, Poulton JE (June 1986). "Isolation and characterization of multiple forms of mandelonitrile lyase from mature black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) seeds". Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 247 (2): 440–5. doi:10.1016/0003-9861(86)90604-1. PMID 3717954.
-
^ Swain E, Li CP, Poulton JE (April 1992). "Development of the Potential for Cyanogenesis in Maturing Black Cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) Fruits". Plant Physiology. 98 (4): 1423–1428. doi:10.1104/pp.98.4.1423. PMC 1080367. PMID 16668810.
-
^ Tenaglia, Dan. "Prunus serotina page". Missouri Plants. Missouri Botanical Garden.
-
^ McVaugh, Rogers (1951-12-01). "A revision of the North American black cherries (Prunus serotina Ehrh., and relatives)". Brittonia. 7 (4): 279–315. doi:10.2307/2804698. ISSN 1938-436X. JSTOR 2804698. S2CID 29241557.
-
^ Gleason, Henry A. and Arthur Cronquist. 1991. "Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada, Second Edition." The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, New York.
-
^ a b c Peattie, Donald Culross (1953). A Natural History of Western Trees. New York: Bonanza Books. p. 539.
-
^ Angier, Bradford (1974). Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 190. ISBN 0-8117-0616-8. OCLC 799792.
-
^ a b C. Stace. R. van der Meijden & I. de Kort (eds.). "Prunus serotina (Cherry, Rum)". Flora of NW Europe. Archived from the original on 2007-12-06.
-
^ Starfinger U. 1997. Introduction and naturalization of Prunus serotina in Central Europe. In: "Plant Invasions: Studies from North America and Europe" (eds by J.H. Brock, M. Wade, P.Pysek, D. Green). Backhuys Publ. Leiden: 161-171.
-
^ Kalina M. Nowakowska; Aleksandra Halarewicz (2006). "Coleoptera found on neophyte Prunus serotina (Ehrh.) within forest community and open habitat" (PDF). Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities, Biology, Volume 9, Issue 1.
-
^ Stypiński P. 1979. Stanowiska czeremchy amerykańskiej Padus serotina (Ehrh.) Borkh. w lasach państwowych Pojezierza Mazurskiego. Rocznik dendrologiczny (in Polish). 32: 191-204.
-
^ Szymon Bijak; Maciej Czajkowski; £ukasz Ludwisiak (December 2014). "Wystêpowanie czeremchy amerykañskiej (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) w Lasach Pañstwowych" [Occurrence of black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) in the State Forests in Poland] (PDF). Leœne Prace Badawcze [Forest Research Papers] (in Polish). 75 (4): 359–365. doi:10.2478/frp-2014-0033. S2CID 55833138. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
-
^ Morton, Julia (1987). Fruits of warm climates. Miami, FL. pp. 108–109. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Prunus serotina: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the genus Prunus. Despite being called black cherry, it is not very closely related to the commonly cultivated cherries such as sweet cherry (P. avium), sour cherry (P. cerasus) and Japanese flowering cherries (P. serrulata, P. speciosa, P. sargentii, P. incisa, etc.) which belong to Prunus subg. Cerasus. Instead, P. serotina belongs to Prunus subg. Padus, a subgenus also including Eurasian bird cherry (P. padus) and chokecherry (P. virginiana). The species is widespread and common in North America and South America.
Black cherry is closely related to the chokecherry (P. virginiana); chokecherry, however, tends to be shorter (a shrub or small tree) and has smaller, less glossy leaves.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors