PRUNUS 



PRUNUS 



2837 



more or less glossy above, light or gray-green: fls. in 

 small clusters from lateral buds mostly in advance of the 

 Ivs., the scales of the fl.-buds small; calyx-tube gla- 

 brous, little if any constricted at top, the lobes deflexed 

 and crenate, obtuse: fr. roundish or depressed-globular, 

 red, soft-fleshed, acid; stone globular. Native to Asia 



3237. Prunus Cerasus var. semperflorens (XH). No. 53. 



Minor and perhaps to S. E. Eu. P. Cerasus is the com- 

 mon pie cherry of old yards. It escapes into fence- 

 rows and other waste places, forming dense thickets, as 

 does the plum. It sprouts from the root. The various 

 Morellos belong here; also the Montmorency, Louis 

 Phillippe, and others. There are at least 2 well-marked 

 groups of these pomological cherries those with 

 uncolored juice (Amarelles, the Prunus acida of some), 

 and those with colored juice (Morellos or Griottes). 

 To the former group belong the Montmorency, Early 

 Richmond, and several early varieties. Many botanical 

 Latin names have been applied in this group of cher- 

 ries, and the interpretation of the relative systematic 

 standing of the different forms is much confused. For 

 our purpose, the leading forms may be ranged as 

 follows: Var. frutescens, Schneid. (P. dcida, Koch), 

 comprising the bushy small-fruited spontaneous or run- 

 wild forms. Var. typica, Schneid., comprising the tree- 

 like cult, forms of many kinds. To this latter group or 

 class belong not only the orchard sour cherries, but also 

 such ornamental varieties or groups as follow. Var. 

 Rhexii, Kirchn. (var. ranunculiflora, Hort.). Fls. 

 double, white. F.S. 17:1805. Gn. 78, p. 228. yar. 

 persiciflora, Koch. Fls. full, double, light rose or pink. 

 Var. variegata, Hort. Lvs. variegated with yellow and 

 dull white. Var. aucubaefolia, Dipp. Lvs. spotted with 

 yellow. Var. cucullata, Kirchn. Lvs. puckered or 

 blistered. Var. globosa, Spaeth. Low round-headed 

 small-lvd. bush. 



By some authors, the species is divided into the 

 Eucerasus (i.e. true Cerasus) group, comprising the 

 tree-form kinds, with strong branches erect or ascend- 

 ing or perhaps somewhat drooping with age, Ivs. and 



petioles with or without glands, large or good-sized fr. 

 with globular or only rarely ovoid stone; and the Acida 

 group (P. acida, Koch, not Ehrh.), comprising the more 

 bush-like forms (as the Ostheim), with more drooping 

 or hanging branches, short gland-bearing petioles, and 

 smaller globular fr. with ovoid stone about Y^a.. or 

 less long. To this latter race probably belong several 

 forms more or less cult, for ornament, as P. dcida var. 

 dumosa, Hort., a bushy form blooming profusely when 

 young. Gn. 78, p. 201. 



Var. semperfidrens, Loud. (P. semperflorens, Ehrh. 

 Cerasus semperflorens, DC.). EVERBLOOMING CHERRY. 

 ALL-SAINTS' CHERRY. Figs. 3237, 3238. A horticul- 

 tural state of P. Cerasus var. typica: small tree or a 

 bush, usually top-worked on other stock, with a strag- 

 gling or drooping habit, the slender twigs glabrous: 

 Ivs. oval to oblong-obovate, short-pointed (or acuminate 

 on the strong shoots), irregularly dentate, rather hard 

 and firm in texture: fls. white, on long axillary and 

 terminal peduncles from May till September: fr. like a 

 small pie cherry, but mostly longer-stalked and smaller, 

 dark red. Its habit of blooming all summer makes it a 

 desirable ornamental subject. The Ivs. resemble those 

 of P. Cerasus, except that they are smaller. Known in 

 France as Cerisier de la Toussaint ("All-Saints' cherry") 

 and in Germany as Allerheiligen Kirsche. There is a 

 form with yellow-variegated Ivs. The Everblooming 

 cherry appears to be very little planted in this country, 

 but it is an interesting form. 



54. avium, T.inn. (Prunus Cerasus var. dvium, Linn. 

 Cerasus avium, Moench. C. nigra, Mill. C. dulcis, 

 Gaertn.). SWEET CHERRY. MAZZAKD. Figs. 3239; 

 also Figs. 906, 908, 909, Vol. II. Tall robust tree with 

 red-brown bark, sometimes 100 ft. high, the young 

 trees with a strong central leader and pyramidal growth, 

 the old seedling trees sometimes becoming 2 ft. and 

 more in diam. (see Fig. 908, Vol. II): Ivs. generally 

 oblong-ovate and gradually taper-pointed, dull and 

 soft in color and texture, hanging as if limp on the 

 young growths: fls. in dense clusters on lateral spurs and 

 appearing with the hairy strongly conduplicate young 

 Ivs., the scales of the fl.-buds large and persistent for 

 a time; calyx-tube glabrous, constricted near the top, 

 the lobes reflexed and entire: fr. globular, depressed- 

 globular or heart-like, mostly sweet, yellow or red. 

 Eu. and W. Asia. The parent species of the many 

 sweet cherries (and also of the May Duke class), and 

 now run wild in many parts of the E. The run-wild 

 and common seedling forms, with small frs., are 

 known under the general name of Mazzard cherries. 



3238. Prunus Cerasus var. semperflorens. (Spray XK) 



