Prunus serotina (Black Cherry)

Black Cherry – Prunus serotina: An In-depth Look

Prunus serotina, commonly known as Black Cherry, is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree native to North America. Highly valued for its fine wood, wildlife benefits, and small edible fruits, this tree is easy to grow and offers year-round appeal. In spring, it produces delicate, lace-like blossoms, followed by glossy green foliage in summer, vibrant autumn colors, and ornamental berries that attract birds. A beautifully shaped shade tree, Black Cherry enhances both natural landscapes and home gardens.

Native Range

Black Cherry is widespread across North America, from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick westward to southern Quebec, Ontario, Michigan, and eastern Minnesota. Its range extends south through Iowa, eastern Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas, reaching as far as central Florida. Thriving in well-drained soils and full sun, it is highly adaptable, often found in forest margins, disturbed areas, and old fields. Black Cherry is closely related to Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), a smaller species with less glossy leaves.

Plant Type and Habit

Black Cherry is a fast-growing, medium-to-large deciduous tree with a straight trunk and an oval or pyramidal crown. In dense forests, it develops a tall, columnar form, whereas in open landscapes, it spreads more broadly.

Size

Mature Black Cherry trees typically reach heights of 50-80 feet (15-24 m) with a spread of 30-60 feet (9-18 m). The growth rate is rapid, with young trees growing up to 3 feet (90 CM) per year under optimal conditions.

Lifespan

Mature Black Cherry trees typically live around 100 years, though some specimens can reach up to 250 years.

Flowers

Black Cherry produces fragrant, white flowers in early spring to early summer. The flowers appear in drooping clusters (racemes) measuring 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long, emerging shortly after the leaves. These nectar-rich blossoms attract pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

Fruits

Following pollination, the flowers develop into hanging clusters of small, round berries (drupes) that start red and ripen to deep purple-black in late summer. While bitter when eaten raw, the fruits are commonly used in jams, jellies, and traditional beverages like cherry bounce. They also provide an essential food source for birds and mammals.

Foliage

Black Cherry features simple, alternate, lanceolate leaves measuring 2-5 inches (5-12 cm) long. The glossy green leaves have finely serrated edges and pointed tips, creating an elegant appearance. In autumn, they turn brilliant shades of yellow to red, adding seasonal interest to the landscape.

Bark

Young trees have smooth, dark gray bark with horizontal lenticels. As the tree matures, the bark becomes dark brown to black with a scaly, flaky texture, resembling burnt potato chips.

Hardiness

Black Cherry thrives in USDA zones 3-9 and tolerates a wide range of conditions.

Uses

• Ornamental: Planted in large landscapes for its fragrant flowers, attractive summer foliage, and striking fall color.
• Shade Tree: Provides ample shade in summer, making it a great choice for parks, backyards, and large landscapes.
• Edible Fruits: The small cherries are used in jams, jellies, and traditional beverages like cherry bounce.
• Reforestation: A fast-growing pioneer species that aids in the restoration of disturbed forested areas.
• Meadow: Occasionally found in open fields, abandoned pastures, and the edges of woodlands.
• Woodland: Commonly found in mixed hardwood forests, providing shade and habitat for wildlife.
• Butterfly Garden: Supports various pollinators and serves as a larval host for numerous butterfly species.
• Edible Garden: Suitable for edible landscapes where its fruits can be harvested for culinary use.
• Native Garden: An excellent choice for native plant gardens, promoting local biodiversity.
• Pollinator Garden: Produces nectar-rich flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
• Timber: The wood is highly valued for furniture, cabinetry, and fine woodworking due to its rich color and durability.
• Discover 32 Fast-Growing Shade Trees to Boost Your Garden’s Appeal

Wildlife Value

Black Cherry is an essential wildlife tree, providing food, shelter, and habitat for a wide range of birds, mammals, and pollinators. Its small, dark fruits ripen in late summer and serve as a critical food source for numerous species.

Birds: The berries are particularly important for songbirds and game birds, including robins, cedar waxwings, woodpeckers, wild turkeys, quail, and thrushes. Passerine birds consume the fruit and aid in seed dispersal.

Mammals: Black Cherry supports a variety of mammals such as red foxes, black bears, raccoons, opossums, squirrels, rabbits, white-tailed deer, mice, and moles. The high-energy fruit provides essential nutrition, especially in late summer and fall.

Pollinators: The tree’s fragrant, nectar-rich flowers attract a wide range of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, making it an excellent addition to pollinator-friendly landscapes.

Butterflies and Moths: Black Cherry serves as a vital larval host plant for multiple butterfly and moth species, including Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Cherry Gall Azure (Celastrina serotina), Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus), Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon), Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), and Red-Spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Deer and Rabbit Resistance

While deer may browse young saplings, mature trees are relatively resistant to browsing.

Toxicity

Black Cherry contains cyanogenic glycosides (amygdalin and prunasin) in its leaves, bark, and seeds. These compounds can release hydrogen cyanide when metabolized, making the tree toxic to livestock, pets, and humans under certain conditions.

Poisonous to Humans: While the fleshy part of the fruit is safe to eat when fully ripe, the seeds, leaves, and bark contain cyanogenic compounds. The accidental ingestion of intact seeds is not typically dangerous, but chewing or crushing the seeds can release cyanide, leading to poisoning. Blending or processing the whole fruit with pits may also pose a risk. Poisoning symptoms in humans can include gasping and respiratory distress, weakness and dizziness, pupil dilation, excitement followed by depression, spasms, convulsions, and coma. In severe cases, respiratory failure can lead to death.

Problem for Pets and Livestock: Black Cherry is highly toxic to livestock, particularly horses, cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as domestic pets like dogs and cats. The toxicity risk increases when the leaves wilt, as this triggers the release of cyanide. Horses, in particular, are highly susceptible.

Invasiveness

While native to North America, Black Cherry has become invasive in several northern and central European countries. Its rapid growth, ability to persist in shaded sites, and high seed production contribute to its aggressive spread.

In areas where it has been introduced, Black Cherry outcompetes native vegetation, reducing biodiversity and altering natural forest dynamics. It can form dense thickets that suppress the regeneration of native tree species, making it a significant concern in European woodlands.

Efforts to manage its spread include mechanical removal, herbicide application, and controlled burns, though its resilience and extensive seed bank make eradication challenging.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Black Cherry

Benefits

• Medicinal Properties: Used in traditional medicine for treating hypertension, coughs, and gastrointestinal disorders. Contains compounds with potential cough suppressant and sedative effects.
• Nutritional Value: Fruits are rich in phenolic compounds like chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, and catechin. High antioxidant capacity due to these compounds.
• Wildlife Support: Attracts birds and supports over 450 species of butterflies and moths. Provides food for mammals such as black bears, foxes, raccoons, and squirrels.
• Aesthetic Value: Offers seasonal interest with dark green foliage, white spring blooms, and vibrant autumn colors. Enhances landscapes with its graceful form and ornamental fruit.
• Timber Value: Wood is highly prized for furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments, and veneers. Strong, durable, and easy to work with, making it a preferred choice for fine woodworking.
• Environmental Benefits: Helps combat soil erosion and stabilizes slopes with its extensive root system. Adaptable to various conditions, thriving in disturbed areas and contributing to forest succession.

Drawbacks

• Toxicity: Leaves, twigs, and seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release toxic hydrogen cyanide when ingested. Wilted leaves can be highly poisonous to livestock, particularly cattle and horses.
• Pest Susceptibility: Vulnerable to a variety of insect pests, including aphids, borers, and tent caterpillars. Common fungal diseases such as leaf spot, black knot, and fire blight can impact tree health.
• Maintenance: May require regular pruning to remove deadwood and manage pests.
• Invasive Potential: Spreads aggressively in some environments, particularly in parts of Europe. Can outcompete native vegetation and alter forest composition.
• Fruit Messiness: Dropping fruits can create a cleanup issue in landscaped areas and sidewalks. Fruits may stain hard surfaces and attract wildlife in unwanted locations.
• Vulnerabilities: It is particularly vulnerable to fire damage, wind throw, and girdling due to its thin bark and shallow root system.

How to Grow and Care for Black Cherry

Light Requirements

Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Best flower and fruit production is obtained in full sun.

Soil Requirements

Grows best in well-drained, fertile soil but adapts to a variety of soil types except for extreme wet or dry ones.

Watering

Water consistently during the first year to establish roots. Once established, water deeply during dry spells. Maintain moist but not waterlogged soil.

Fertilization

Apply organic fertilizer in early spring to promote growth and fruit production. Avoid over-fertilization, which can cause leaf browning and stunted growth.

Pruning

Prune annually during the dormant season (winter), to remove dead or diseased branches and shape young trees.

How to Propagate Black Cherry

Seed Propagation

• Collect seeds from ripe fruits and remove pulp.
• Cold stratify for 90-120 days before planting.
• Plant in spring in well-drained soil.

Cuttings

• Softwood cuttings can be rooted with hormone treatment.
• Success rate is moderate compared to seed propagation.

Pests and Diseases of Black Cherry Trees

As with most cherries, the Black Cherry tree is susceptible to a wide range of insect pests and fungal diseases.

Common Diseases

• Black Knot: A fungal disease (Apiosporina morbosa) that forms rough, black, elongated swellings on branches and twigs, leading to reduced vigor and potential branch dieback.
• Leaf spot: Caused by fungal pathogens, leaf spot leads to dark, irregular lesions on leaves, weakening the tree and potentially causing premature defoliation.
• Dieback: A condition where branches gradually wither and die due to fungal infections or environmental stress, reducing tree health.
• Leaf Curl: A disease that distorts and wrinkles leaves, often caused by fungal or viral infections.
• Powdery mildew: A white, powdery fungal infection that coats the leaves, reducing photosynthesis and overall vigor.
• Root rot: Poorly drained soils or excessive moisture can lead to fungal infections that decay the root system, causing stunted growth and potential mortality.
• Fire blight: A bacterial disease that blackens twigs and branches, making them appear scorched. It spreads quickly in warm, humid conditions.

Common Insect Pests

• Tent Caterpillar: (Malacosoma americanum) This species constructs large silken tents in branches and defoliates significant portions of the tree.
• Cherry Scallop Shell Moth: (Rheumaptera prunivorata) The larvae of this moth consume large amounts of foliage, potentially weakening the tree over time.
• Cherry Lace Bug: These tiny insects feed on leaf sap, causing the yellowing and stippling of leaves.
• Aphids: Small, sap-sucking insects that gather on new growth, causing leaf curling, stunted growth, and sooty mold formation.
• Scale insects: Hard-shelled pests that attach to branches and feed on plant sap, leading to the gradual weakening of the tree.
• Borers: Larvae of beetles that tunnel into the wood, potentially killing branches or the entire tree.
• Leafhoppers: Insects that pierce leaves to feed, transmitting plant diseases and causing yellowing or stippling.
• Foliage-Chewing Caterpillars: Various species feed on Black Cherry leaves, sometimes leading to severe defoliation.
• Japanese beetles: Highly destructive beetles that skeletonize leaves, leaving only veins behind.
• Spider mites: Tiny arachnids that thrive in dry conditions, feeding on leaf undersides and causing stippling or webbing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Black Cherry Trees

What are the cons of a Black Cherry tree?

While Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) is valued for its timber, fruit, and wildlife benefits, it has several drawbacks:

• Toxicity: The leaves, bark, and seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, which can be toxic to livestock, pets, and humans if consumed in large quantities.
• Messy Fruit Drop: The small, dark fruits can stain sidewalks, patios, and vehicles when they fall.
• Pest and Disease Issues: Susceptible to tent caterpillars, borers, aphids, and fungal diseases such as black knot and powdery mildew.
• Wind Throw Risk: Due to its shallow root system, Black Cherry is prone to being uprooted during strong storms.
• Fire Sensitivity: The thin bark makes the tree highly vulnerable to fire damage.
• Invasiveness: In some regions, particularly in Europe, Black Cherry spreads aggressively, outcompeting native species.

Is wild cherry the same as Black Cherry?

Not exactly. The term “wild cherry” can refer to multiple species, but Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) is often called “wild black cherry” to distinguish it from other wild-growing cherry species. A related species, Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), is often confused with Black Cherry but is generally smaller and has more bitter-tasting fruit.

Can you eat the fruit of a Black Cherry tree?

Yes, the fruit of Black Cherry is edible when fully ripe. The small, dark cherries have a slightly bitter taste and are often used in making jams, jellies, syrups, and traditional alcoholic beverages such as cherry bounce. However, the seeds inside the fruit contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be consumed in large quantities.

Is wild Black Cherry poisonous?

Yes, parts of the Black Cherry tree contain cyanogenic glycosides, which release hydrogen cyanide when broken down. This makes the leaves, bark, and seeds toxic to livestock, pets, and humans if consumed in large amounts. Wilted leaves are especially dangerous to livestock, as they contain higher concentrations of cyanide-producing compounds.