Black Cherry
Prunus
serotina
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Copyright, Marc and Maria
Minno
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Kenneth J. Sytsma,
Wisconsin State Herbarium
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Black Cherry, also known
as "Wild Cherry," is usually a small tree, although it can
sometimes grow up to 80 feet tall.
It can be seen just about
anywhere, because it can grow in almost any soil, and
because it can tolerate
shade as an understory
plant. Understory trees, like Black Cherry, can grow under
taller trees, such as oaks and hickories.
Black Cherry leaves are
dark green on top, and light green on bottom. They grow up
to five inches long and two inches wide. Leaves turn yellow
to red in the Fall.
Black Cherry flowers are
small and clustered
in columns. These trees bloom in April and May.
Fruits are small and turn
from orange to red to black. Many animals eat the
fruits.
The bark of Black Cherry
is dark gray and scaly. As the tree gets older, the bark
gets rougher.
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Kenneth J. Sytsma,
Wisconsin State Herbarium
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Some other trees Black
Cherry often grows with include: oaks, hickories, Sassafras,
Eastern White Pine, Loblolly Pine, American Holly, Red
Maple, American Beech, Sugar Maple, Yellow Poplar, American
Elm, and American Hornbeam.
Black Cherry also grows
with Witch Hazel, violets, and club
mosses, among
other plants.
Some plants have a
negative effect on Black Cherry. Goldenrod, asters, and
Bracken Fern give off chemicals which cause Black Cherry to
not grow as well. This is called allelopathy.
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Erv Evans
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Copyright, Mark Brand,
UConn Plant Database
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Many birds and mammals
eat Black Cherry fruit, including: American Robin, Brown
Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird, European
Starling, Gray Catbird, Bluejay, Northern Cardinal, American
Crow, woodpeckers, sparrows, Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey,
Red Fox, Eastern Cottontail, Virginia Opossum, Raccoon, and
Eastern Gray Squirrel.
Caterpillars
of many moths and butterflies eat Black Cherry leaves,
including: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Viceroy, Red Spotted
Purple, and Painted Lady. Eastern Tent Caterpillars can
often kill Black Cherry trees by eating most of the
leaves.
Some fungi which are
parasites
Black Cherry trees include: Honey Mushroom, Tinder Polypore,
and Chicken Mushroom.
White-tailed Deer,
Eastern Cottontail, mice, and Meadow Voles all eat Black
Cherry seedlings.
Animals which eat the
fruit of Black Cherry also help the tree spread and grow new
trees. After they have eaten the fruits, the seeds come out
in the animals' poop someplace new.
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