Location |
Between mile markers 0.0 and 0.25 |
Fact about this tree and why it was chosen |
Native and prominent in eastern North America, Black Cherry has been an important source of timber. In Europe it is classified as an invasive species. |
Latin name |
Prunus Serotina |
Fun facts |
Host plant for the Red-Spotted Purple butterfly, Tiger Swallowtail butterfly, and the Cecropia Moth. |
How to identify this tree: |
Leaf |
Alternate, simple, 2 to 5 inches long, oblong to lance-shaped, finely serrated, very small inconspicuous, glands on petiole, dark green and lustrous above, paler below; usually with a dense yellowish-brown, sometimes white pubescence along mid-rob. |
Flower |
Small white flowers in hanging, narrow clusters 4 to 6 inches long, appearing in late spring. |
Fruit |
Dark purple round drupe, almost black when ripe, ⅓ inch in diameter with a bitter-sweet taste; matures in late summer. |
Twig |
Slender, reddish brown, sometimes covered in gray epidermis, pronounced bitter almond odor and taste; buds are very small (⅕ inch), covered in several glossy, reddish brown to greenish scales; leaf scars are small semicircular with 3 bundle scars. |
Bark |
Smooth with numerous short, narrow, horizontal lenticels when young; becomes very dark (nearly black), breaking up into small, rough, irregular, upturned plates (burnt corn flakes), when older. |
Form |
Medium sized tree which (on good sites) develops a long, straight, clear bole can reach heights approaching 100 feet. |