166 



WILD BLACK CHERRY. 

 Prunus serotina, Ehrhart. 



FORM— Usually reachfts a height of 50-75 ft. with a diameter of 2-3 ft., but may attain 

 a height of 110 ft. with a diameter of 5 feet. In forest grown specimens the trunk is usually 

 long, clean, and with little taper, while in open grown specimens it is usually short. Crown 

 rather irregularly-oblong. 



BARK — On young trunks (Fig. 96) rather smooth, glossy, reddish-brown, marked with 

 conspicuous white horizontally-elongated lenticels; peels off in thin film-like layers, and exposes 

 greenish inner bark. On old trunks (Fig. 97) blackish, roughened by thick irregular plates 

 with projecting edges. 



TWIGS — Smooth, rather slender, reddish-brown, marked with numerous, pale, round lenticels 

 which in time become horizontally-elongated; pith white or light brown. Often covered with 

 a thin, film-like, grayish coating which rubs off readily. Inner bark has a characteristic bitter 

 taste and a rather pleasant odor. 



BUDS — Alternate, about 1/8-1/6 of an inch long, ovate, usually sharp-pointed, smooth, glossy, 

 reddish-brown, covered by about 4 visible ovate bud-scales which are sometimes coated with a 

 smoky or grayish film-like skin. Lateral buds usually divergent but sometimes appressed, 

 flattened, and larger than the terminal. 



LEAVES — Alternate, simple, oblong or lanceolate-oblong, 2-5 inches long, tapering or rounded 

 at base, taper-pointed at apex, serrate on margin with short incurved teeth, rather thick 

 and shiny above, paler beneath. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, more than 2-ranked, raised on projections of the twig, semi- 

 elliptical tendency in outline, with 3 bundle-scars. 



FLOWERS — Appear in May or June; white, perfect, about i of an inch across, borne in 

 elongated drooping racemes 3-4 inches long. 



FRTTIT — A purplish -black juicy drupe, hi of an inch in diaqieter, arranged in rather open 

 drooping clusters; seed stony. Matures in summer. 



WOOD — Diffuse-porous; rays very distinct; heartwood reddish-brown; sapwood narrow and 

 yellowish; moderately heavy, hard and strong, fine-grained, does not warp or split in seasoning. 

 Young wood is very durable. Its value is due to color and lustre and not to figure. Weighs 

 36.28 lbs. per cubic foot. Used principally in furniture and finish; also used for tools like 

 spirit levels, implements, patterns, cores, and for high class panels. 



DISTINGUISHING CEARACTERISTICS— The Wild Black Cherry, also known as Wild 

 Cherry, Rum Cherry, Black Cherry, and Cabinet Cherry, may be distinguished from our other 

 native species by its larger size and by the rough, dark, scaly bark which is found on the 

 older trunks. For furthor distinguishing characteristics see Choke Cherry, page 107, and 

 Fire Cherry, page 168. The introduced Domestic Cherry (Prunus avium) can be distinguished 

 from this one by its stouter often grayish twigs, its smoother and shiny bark (Fig. 98) with 

 conspicuous long and high lenticels and its clustered buds at the tips of stubby, lateral, spur- 

 like branches. The fruit of the Domestic Cherry is larger than that of our native cherries 

 and the leaves have rounded teeth often with glands and are frequently slightly pubescent 

 on the lower side. 



RANGE — Nova Scotia south to Florida, westward to South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA— Found throughout the State. Rather common but 

 nowhere very abundant. Usually occurs solitary in mixture with other species. 



HABITAT — Thrives best on rich alluvial soil and fertile slopes. It will grow on dry and 

 often rather sterile slopes. On account of its long tap-root it requires loose deep soil. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — This is a very important timber tree. Its wood is valuable 

 especially for furniture and interior finish. Nowhere in its range has it ever been very abundant 

 and on account of its prized wood it has been cut extensively. As a consequence it is now becom- 

 ing rare, in fact marching towards extinction. It deserves to be planted extensively and to 

 be protected carefully where it is found growing naturally. 



I 



