of New York 



93 



WILD BLACK CHERRY 



Prunus serotina, Ehrhart 



The Wild Black Cherry, also called Wild Cherry, Black 

 Cherry, and Cabinet Cherry, is the only native cherry 

 that reaches large tree size. It often attains a height of 75 

 feet and a diameter of 3 feet. 



The leaves are simple, alternate, 2 to 5 inches long, long- 

 pointed, finely - toothed 

 along margin, rather thick, 

 shiny on upper surface 

 and paler below. 



The flowers are white, 

 about }i of an inch across, 

 arranged in spikes 3 to 

 4 inches long. 



The fruit is a purplish- 

 black juicy berry, about 

 one-third of an inch in di- 

 ameter, grouped in droop- 

 ing clusters. 



The bark on young 

 trunks is smooth, glossy, 

 reddish-brown marked 

 with conspicuous white, 

 h o r i z ontally elongated 

 breathing pores, peels off 

 in thin film-like layers ex- 

 posing green inner bark. 



On old trunks it becomes black, rough, breaks up into thick 

 plates. The twigs are smooth, reddish-brown, marked with 

 numerous small whitish breathing pores. Twigs and inner 

 bark have bitter taste and unpleasant odor. The buds are 

 about l /s of an inch long, smooth, glossy, reddish-brown, 

 covered with about 4 visible scales. 



The wood is moderately heavy, hard, and strong, fine- 

 grained, with reddish-brown heartwood. It is durable and 

 used for furniture, interior finishings, tools, ties, implements, 

 and high class panels. 



The Wild Black Cherry is found from Nova Scotia south 

 to Florida and west to Kansas and Texas. This tree is com- 

 mon to abundant in most sections of New York, up to 3,500 

 feet in the Adirondacks. Rich bottom-lands and moist hill- 

 sides are its favorite home. We need its fine wood, the birds 

 eat its fruit, and the bees frequent its flowers. 



WILD BLACK CHERRY 

 One-fourth natural aize. 



