168 



FIRE CHERRY. 

 Prunus pennsylvanica, Linnaeus. 



FORM — A small tree reaching a height of 30 ft. with a diameter of about 10 inches. Trunk 

 usually short bearing rather ascending branches which form a narrow and rather flat-topped 

 crown. 



BARK — On old trunks somewhat roughened but not fissured. On younger trunks about i of an 

 inch thick, reddish-brown, rather smooth but roughened by large horizontally-elongated lenticels. 

 The outer bark peels off readily in thin film-like layer^ and exposes the green inner bark 

 which is bitter. 



TWIGS — Slender, smooth, glossy, bright red, sometimes wholly or partly covered with a 

 thin grayish coating which rubs off very readily, marked with numerous pale to yellowish and 

 conspicuous lenticels which in time become horizontally-elongated. The twigs have a character- 

 istic bitter taste and a peculiar odor. 



BUDS — Alternate, small, usually less than | of an inch long, ovate, dull-pointed, smooth 

 or slightly grayish, scaly, clustered at the end of twigs and often along the sides; covered 

 with scales which are bard to distinguish. They are sometimes clustered on stubby lateral 

 f;purs. 



LEAVES — Alternate or sometimes paired but not opposite each other, simple, oblong-lanceo- 

 late, 3-5 inches long, tapering or rounded at base, sharp-pointed at apex, sharply and finely 

 serrate on margin, rather shining, green and smooth on both sides. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, more than 2-ranked, somewhat raised on projections of twigs, 

 elongated, semi-elliptical in outline, with 3 bundle-scars, the central one of which is usually the 

 largest. 



FLOWERS — Appear about May when leaves are partly developed. They are white, perfect, 

 about i of an inch across, borne on long stalks in 4-5-flowered umbels. 



FRUIT — A globular, juicy, light red drupe about i of an inch in diameter, tipped with parts 

 of persistent styles, covered with thin skin which contains sour flesh and oblong stone. Ripens 

 about July. 



WOOD — Similar to that of the Wild Black Cherry, page 166, only lighter in weight .and 

 of no oomrtjorcial importance. Not found on the market. Weighs 31.30 lbs. per cubic foot. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Fire Cherry, also known as Wild Bed, Bird. 



and Pin Cherry, can be distinguished from Wild Black Cherry and Choke Cherry by its flowers 

 which are borne in umbels while those of the other species are borne in racemes, and by 

 its slender twigs bearing clustered terminal buds while those of the other species occur 

 solitary. The bark can be distinguished from the Choke Cherry by the presence of numerous 

 orange-colored horizontally -elongated lenticels and from the Wild Black Cherry by the absence 

 of dark scaly plates with projecting edges. 



RANGE — Newfoundland to British Columbia, southward to Georgia, Tennessee, and Colorado. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA— Common in the mountainous parts of the State, 

 particularly among the Alleghenies. Rare or absent southeast of a line drawn from Easton 

 through Hairisburg to Chambersburg. Also rare in the western part of the State. 



HABITAT — Usually found in rocky woods and recent clearings. Very common along fences 

 and roadsides, in abandoned fields, on lumbered and burnt-over areas, on mountain slopes and 

 occasionally found on bottomlands. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — This tree is of no commercial importance. It is very 

 attractive but its short life prevents it from being planted extensively for ornamental pur- 

 poses. It is rather aggressive springing up rapidly after fires and lumbering operations, often 

 taking complete control of the situation. It is, however, a temporary species acting as a 

 shelter or nurse tree to other more valuable species which usually follow and form the desired 

 forest stand. The main value of this tree lies in the shelter which it gives to others and the 

 food which it furnishes for birds and wild animals. 



