Prunus virginiana L. (Chokecherry) tree is blooming this morning. A bird must have brought the seed because there are no others around us. We're surrounded by corn fields. It was just a twig 10 years ago, now it's over 25' tall. It's loaded with flowers this year, top to bottom. It's susceptible to bag worms, but we keep an eye out for them and DH burns the bag using a very long pole with a burning rag on the end to reach them. I think he has fun frying those critters.
Chokecherry leaves are much rounder (but still with an acute point).
I believe you have a Black Cherry (Prunus serotina).
A better tree, IMO.
Thanks for letting me know. I never noticed any fruit on it, but never really look either. I'll pay more attention this summer.
Chokecherry fruit is larger, more "black", and inedible fresh. Blackcherry fruits are smaller, more of a perfect lobe shape, and edible fresh (although I doubt anyone's favorite).
The wildlife just love the little fruits on my black cherry trees. That's how they spread to other areas! I believe both the chokecherry and black cherry are host plants for butterflies. My black cherry trees are hosts to 3 different species of butterfly caterpillars here.
Are the flowers of chokecherry highly fragrant?
From memory, yes they are.
Just went outside and gave a flower a sniff. There is a slight fragrance.
Thank you. Then the small trees I have are chock cherry trees. These grow in full shade
and form almost a thicket. All of them are under 20ft with most about 10ft. I am debating weather
to keep them for wild life, but I have not seen any berries or nests there.
From my childhood in Russia I remember Prunus serotina (черёмуха) had similar flowers
with intoxicating fragrance. It would bloom just before oaks and that would signify
the start of a cooler spell. Later there would be tiny black berries that I liked to chew on
as a child. I remember I could reach the flowers, but the two trees that were identified
as Prunus serotina in my back yard are 30-40 ft tall. Is that common?
Then the small trees I have are chokecherry trees. These grow in full shade and form almost a thicket. All of them are under 20ft with most about 10ft.
