ROSACEAE 



Choke Cherry 



Prunus virginiana, L. [Padus virginiana, (.) 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, when the leaves are half grown; perfect; 

 about l /2 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, %-*/> inch in diam- 

 eter, usually bright red, often yellow to almost black, with dark 

 red flesh ; astringent, but edible. 



WINTER-BUDS. Terminal bud ^-^ 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 the entire state. 



HABIT. Prefers a deep, rich, moist loam, but is common 

 on less favorable sites. 



NOTES. The most widely distributed tree of North Amer- 

 ica, extending from the arctic circle to Mexico, from the Rocky 

 Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. 



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