720 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. 



PART III, 



30. C. carolinia'xa M'whx. 



Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 285. 



The Carolina Bird Cherry Tree. 



; Lois, in N. Du Ham., 5. p .5. ; Don's Mill., 



Identification. 



P- 516. 

 Synoni/mes. Prilnus carolini^na Ait. Hort. Kevi., 2. p. 163. ; P. sempervirens IVilld. Enttm. ; Padiis 



caroliiiiJlna Mill. Diet., No. 6. ; Wild Orange, Amcr. 

 Engravings. Michx. Arb. d'Am^r., 3. t. 7. ; and our fig. 423. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Evergreen. Leaves, with the petiole short ; and the disk 

 lanceolate-oblong, niucronate, even, rather coriaceous, mostly entire. 

 Flowers densely disposed in axillary racemes, that are shorter than the 

 leaves. Fruit nearly globose, mucronate. {Dec. Prod., ii. p. S+O.) An 

 evergreen tree, of the middle size, a native of North America, from Caro- 

 lina to Florida; introduced in 1759, and forming rather a tender evergreen 

 shrub in British gardens. 



Description, i^-c. In its native country, this 423 



tree, according to Michaux, grows to the 

 height of 20 ft. or 30 ft., and ramifies at a 

 short distance from the ground, forming a 

 tufted head. The bark of the trnnk is of a 

 dun colour, and is commonly without cracks. 

 The leaves are smooth, shining on their upper 

 surfaces, and about 3 in. long. The flowers, 

 which open in May, are white and numerous, 

 being arranged in little bunches 1 in. or li in. 

 long, which spring from the axil of the leaf. 

 The fruit is small, oval, and nearly black : 

 it consists of a soft stone, surrounded by a 

 small quantity of green pulpy substance, 

 which is not eatable. The fruit hangs on 

 during the greater part of the following year, 

 so that the tree is at the same time laden 

 with fruit and flowers. These flowers, Mi- 

 chaux remarks, arc, of all others which lie 

 has observed in CaroUna and Georgia, the 

 most sought after by bees. The tree, he 

 adds, may be considered as one of the most 

 beautiful vegetable productions of the south- 

 ern parts of the United States ; and it is generally selected by the inhabitants 

 to plant near their houses, not only on this account, bnt because it grows 

 with rapidity, and affords an impenetrable shade. Pursh describes it as a 

 handsome evergreen shrub, resembling C. lusitanica; but he says nothing of 

 the flowers, which, from the figure in Michaux, from which ours was copied, 

 appear to be almost without petals. 



Geography, History, <^-c. This tree is found in the Bahama Islands ; and 

 in North America it appears to be confined to the islands which are on the 

 coast of the two Carolinas, Georgia, and the two Floridas. On the mainland 

 it is seldom found growing wild, even at 8 or 10 miles' distance from the sea. 

 It was first made known to Europeans by Catesby; and the seeds were sent 

 to Miller in 1759, under the name of bastard mahogany. Seeds of it are 

 frequently imported from America, and abundance of young plants reared ; 

 but, as they are rather tender, and, north of London, would require the pro- 

 tection of a wall, they are very seldom seen in British gardens. The largest 

 plant which we know of is in Hampshire, at Swallowfield, where, in 1833, 

 it formed a bush 10 ft. high, with a head about 12 ft. in diameter, flowering 

 and fruiting occasionally. 



Properties and Uses. The wood is rose-coloured, and of a very fine grain ; 

 but, even in America, it is too scarce to be applied to useful purposes ; the 

 tree being there, as here, considered entirely as one of ornament. The bark 

 of the roots smells strongly of prussic acid ; and from it, Michaux observes, 

 a fragrant spirituous liquor may be obtained. 



