The Trees of Vermont 153 



ROSACEAE 



Choke Clierry 

 Prunus virginiana L. [Padus virginiana (L.) Roemer] 



Habit. — Usually a large shrub, but sometimes a small tree 15-25 

 feet high, with a crooked, often leaning trunk 5-6 inches in diameter; 

 forming a spreading, somewhat rounded crown. 



Leaves. — Alternate, simple, 2-4 inches long, one-half as broad ; 

 obovate to oblong-obovate or oval, abruptly acuminate at the apex ; 

 finely and sharply serrate ; dull dark green above, paler beneath, 

 glabrous both sides ; petioles short, slender, glandular at the apex. 



Flowers. — May- June, when the leaves are half grown; perfect; 

 about 3^ inch across; borne on short, slender pedicels in many-flowered 

 racemes 3-6 inches long ; calyx cup-shaped, 5-lobed ; petals 5, white ; 

 stamens 15-20; stigma broad, on a short style. 



Fruit. — July-August ; a globular drupe, Y^-Yi inch in diameter, 

 usually bright red, often yellow to almost black, with dark red flesh; 

 astringent, but edible. 



Winter-buds. — Terminal bud /4-^ inch long, conical, acute ; 

 scales rounded at the apex, light brown, smooth. 



Bark. — Twigs at first light brown or greenish, becoming red- 

 brown, finally dark brown ; thin, dark brown on the trunk, slightly 

 fissured. 



Wood. — Heavy, hard, close-grained, weak, light brown, with thick, 

 lighter colored sapwood. 



Distribution. — Common throughout Vermont, even on the higher 

 mountains. 



Habitat. — Fence-rows, woods and banks. 



Notes. — The choke cherry is the most widely distributed tree of 

 North America, extending from the Arctic circle to Mexico, from 

 the Rocky mountains to the Atlantic ocean. Prunus virginiana Iciico- 

 carpa, a variety with short, dense racemes of flowers and sweet, 

 yellowish fruit, has been reported from Lunenburg and Franklin. 

 The choke cherry usually is a shrub in Vermont. It is included, how- 

 ever, in this list of trees because of its close relationship to the other 

 cherries. In May, when the leaves are half grown, it is covered with 

 creamy white flowers in long nodding clusters. The peculiarly as- 

 tringent fruit, varying greatly in quality, however, ripens abundantly 

 in August. It makes a good quality of jelly. 



