The black cherry tree is native to North America and can grow up to 30m tall. Its fruit is small, dark red to black, and is used for culinary purposes. The tree’s bark is unique, and its foliage contains harmful components. Caution should be exercised when harvesting the fruit.
The sour cherry (Prunus serotina) is a plant species belonging to the Rosaceae family and to the Prunus genus. It is commonly referred to as wild black cherry, black cherry, or sour cherry. The plant is native to the eastern half of North America and can be found growing in the Midwestern United States and in the mountains of Guatemala and Mexico. It has also become naturalized in parts of Europe, after escaping cultivation as an ornamental tree.
A deciduous tree, black cherry can grow 15-30 m (50-100 ft) tall. The tree trunk diameter can reach 28-48 inches (70-120cm). The leaves on the tree have a simple, serrated margin and can grow 6-5 cm (2.5-5.5 in) long. The flowers of the trees are small, white and fragrant. They have five white petals and about 20 stamens.
The fruit of the black cherry is small, round, and dark red to black in color. Cherries start out green to red and eventually ripen to black in the final stages of ripening. They are somewhat bitter when eaten fresh, but also slightly sweet. The fruits are commonly eaten by birds and other wildlife.
The black cherry is easily distinguished in a wild environment by its unique bark. A mature tree has thick, black, hairy, heavily cracked bark. For the first ten years or so of the tree’s life, however, it resembles thin, ridged birch bark. This cherry tree can also be identified by the almond smell emanating from a broken branch or twig and its long, shiny leaves.
It has a long life span, with the oldest known specimen living 258 years. However, it is susceptible to damage from storms, as its branches break easily. It is also subject to infestation by caterpillars of the Lepidoptera order. The eastern tent caterpillar is known to destroy entire groves of the tree.
The fruit of the black cherry tree has many culinary uses, including jams, jellies, cakes, soft drinks, ice cream, and even liqueurs. The lumber of the tree is commonly used for furniture making in the United States. It is falsely sold as “cherry” wood and is known for its high price and deep red color.
The tree’s foliage contains harmful components, especially cyanogenic glycosides, which are strongest when the leaves have withered. These glycosides are converted into hydrogen cyanide when consumed by animals. Farmers often have to remove these cherry trees from their grazing lands to prevent livestock poisoning. The pulp of tart cherries, however, is safe for consumption by humans and animals.
Many people gather the wild fruit to use for themselves. Caution should be exercised when harvesting from black cherry, as poisonous sea buckthorn has a similar appearance. The two can be differentiated by the many seeds of the sea buckthorn fruit, while the cherry fruit has only one pit.
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