BLACK CHERRY (Prunus Serotina) 



VI. Notes on ForesT: Trees Suitable 

 for Planting in the United States. 



DISTRIBUTION AND MANNER OF OCCUR- 

 RENCE;. 



The Black Cherry flourishes through- 

 out the eastern half of the United 

 States from Nova Scotia to Tampa 

 Bay, Florida ; westward it grows to the 

 Missouri River in southeastern South 

 Dakota, to eastern Kansas and Ne- 

 braska, Indian Territory, and Texas; 

 and extends through Mexico and along 

 the Pacific Coast of Central America 

 to Peru. In the northern extremity 

 of the Lake States its distribution is 

 limited to shaded lake shores and 

 banks of streams, while in places it 

 fades out entirely and is replaced by 

 the Wild Cherry. 



Although growing over a wide 

 range of territory, the region for eco- 

 nomic planting should be limited to the 

 region extending westward from In- 

 diana to eastern South Dakota, and 

 Kansas, and southward along the high 

 moist slopes of the Appalachians. 



Throughout its range it is common 

 under varying conditions of soil and 

 exposure in open places in hardwood 

 forests, but is nowhere abundant, 

 though occasionally in the most fa- 

 vorable locations numerous groups of 

 trees are found. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF GROWTH ASSO- 

 CIATE SPECIES. 



Because of its adaptability to differ- 

 ent conditions the Black Cherry va- 

 ries greatly in form and size, depending 

 on the region and locality in which it 

 grows. In New England it is of me- 

 dium size, 30 to 50 feet in height, with 

 a diameter varying from 10 inches to 

 2 feet. In the Middle States and west- 

 ward it becomes larger, with a height 

 of 40 to 70 feet, and with sometimes a 

 diameter of 3 feet, although it becomes 

 smaller along the northern limit of its 



range. In the moist residual soil of 

 the upper slopes of the southern Alle- 

 ghenies it reaches its maximum 

 growth ; here a height of 100 feet and 

 a diameter of 5 feet is often attained. 



When forest-grown the trunk of the 

 Black Cherry is long and slender, free 

 from branches, and surmounted by a 

 comparatively small, open crown com- 

 posed of large, irregular branches. In 

 the open the crown becomes more 

 spreading, but seldom massive like that 

 of the oak and chestnut. The root sys- 

 tem is extensive, especially on dry, 

 sterile soil, where the heart roots go 

 deep in search of moisture. A con- 

 siderable lateral system of surface 

 roots is also developed. The tree is 

 moderately shade-enduring. 



The rate of growth is so much de- 

 pendent upon climate and soil condi- 

 tions as tp cause different opinions 

 concerning its real capabilities. Un- 

 der the most favorable conditions it is 

 a rapid growing tree, while in a very 

 cold or exceedingly warm climate, and 

 in unfavorable soil, the growth is 

 rather slow. In a deep, rich soil and 

 a mild climate, trees 25 to 30 years old 

 have been known to make an average 

 annual diameter growth of four-fifths 

 of an inch, but the valuable, dark-col- 

 ored timber is not produced until the 

 age of 60 to 80 years. On the whole, 

 the Black Cherry may be considered 

 as a rapid-growing, short-lived spe- 

 cies. 



The trees associated with the Black 

 Cherry include nearly all of the com- 

 mon hardwoods, among which may be 

 mentioned the Beech, birches, oaks, 

 hickories, Black Walnut, Ohio Buck- 

 eye, and the maples. 



WOOD ECONOMIC USES. 



The wood is light, strong, rather 

 hard, with a close, fine grain which 



*Furnished by U.S. Forest Service. 



