CHOKE CHERRY 



It loves ravines and rocky woods, will grow and flourish 

 directly on the southern shore of Lake Erie, taking " Free- 

 dom's northern wind." all winter without the slightest detri- 

 ment to its well-being. 



It blooms profusely in early spring before the leaves are 

 very much in evidence ; the tiny white blossoms are borne 

 in clusters of five to eight-flowered umbels, and fairly cover 

 the tree. 



The shining green leaves are thickly set upon the spray 

 making a denser foliage than that of the Black Cherry, and by 

 the middle of July all the branches of a fruiting tree are so 

 covered with clusters of berries as to make it as a whole look 

 red. They do not remain long, however, for the birds love 

 them, sour as they are, and carry them away in a few days. 



When midsummer comes the leaves frequently take the 

 poise of the peach leaf, curving in at the edges and drooping 

 curved from the branch. 



CHOKE CHERRY, WILD CHERRY 



Prunns viygimana. 



A shrub throughout the north, only becoming a tree in the south- 

 western part of the United States. 



Bark. — Dark brown, slightly fissured. Branchlets at first light 

 brown or reddish green, later they become darker brown tinged with 

 red, and finally dark brown ; outer layer of bark separates easily in 

 horizontal bands from the inner. Inner bark has a disagreeable 

 odor. 



Wood. ^Light brown ; heavy, hard, close-grained. Sp. gr. , 0.695 1 ; 

 weight of cu. ft., 43 32 lbs. 



IVin/er Buds.— Chestnut brown, acute or obtuse. Inner scales 

 enlarge when spring growth begins, and often become an inch long. 



Leaves. — Alternate, oval, two to four inches long, one to two 

 inches broad, wedge-shaped, or rounded at base, serrate, acuminate. 

 Feather-veined. They come out of the bud conduplicate, pale, 

 hairy ; when full grown are bright green above, paler beneath. In 

 autumn they turn yellow. Petioles grooved, slender, two glands 

 near the apex, sometimes many-glandular. Stipules lanceolate, 

 acute, serrate, early deciduous. 



125 



