Black Cherry
Prunus serotina
Black cherry is a native North American hardwood valued for its fine reddish furniture timber, drooping clusters of white spring flowers, and small dark fruits; its foliage and bark contain cyanide compounds.
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate; well-drained soil
- Difficulty
- Easy
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Overview
Black cherry (Prunus serotina) is the largest of the native North American cherries and an important timber and wildlife tree. It produces hanging clusters of small white flowers in spring, followed by dark purple-black cherries in late summer.
Its wood is one of the most prized cabinet woods in North America, with a warm reddish-brown color that deepens with age.
While the ripe fruit is edible and used for flavoring, the leaves, twigs, bark, and seeds contain cyanogenic compounds that are toxic, especially dangerous to livestock when the foliage wilts.
How to identify it
A medium-large deciduous tree, often recognized by its bark and flower clusters.
- Leaves: alternate, simple, oblong, 6-14 cm, finely toothed, glossy dark green; midrib underside often bears rusty-brown hairs — a key ID trait
- Flowers: small white flowers in drooping, elongated clusters (racemes) in late spring
- Fruit: pea-sized cherries ripening from red to dark purple-black, in hanging clusters
- Bark: young bark smooth, reddish-brown with horizontal lenticels (like a cherry); mature bark dark, scaly, and broken into burnt-cornflake-like plates
- Size: typically 15-25 m tall
- Crushed twigs have a distinctive bitter almond (cyanide) odor
Care & growing
An easy, fast-growing native tree.
- Light: full sun to partial shade
- Water: moderate; prefers moist, well-drained soil
- Soil: adaptable; grows on a wide range of soils
- Temperature: hardy in USDA zones 3-9
- Feeding: rarely needed
- Propagation: from seed after cold stratification; spreads readily by bird-dispersed seed
- Caution: wilted foliage is highly toxic to horses and cattle; keep prunings away from livestock; prone to tent caterpillars
Habitat & origin
Native to eastern North America and extending into Mexico and Central America, growing in forests, woodland edges, old fields, and fencerows. It is a pioneer species that colonizes disturbed ground readily.
It is common throughout the eastern U.S. and is also grown for timber. In parts of Europe it has become an invasive species after introduction.
Uses & benefits
- Timber: premium furniture, cabinetry, and veneer wood prized for its rich color and workability
- Culinary: ripe fruit is used in jams, jellies, and to flavor liqueurs and traditional "cherry bounce" (the source of the name rum cherry)
- Wildlife: fruits feed dozens of bird and mammal species; a key larval host for many native moths and butterflies
- Caution: all green parts and seeds are toxic due to cyanide compounds
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat black cherry fruit?
Yes, the ripe flesh is edible and used in jams and flavorings, though it's bitter-sweet. The seeds (pits), leaves, and bark are toxic and should not be eaten.
Why is black cherry dangerous to livestock?
Its wilted leaves release cyanide as they break down. Horses and cattle that eat wilted prunings or fallen branches can be poisoned, sometimes fatally.
How do I identify black cherry bark?
Young bark is smooth and reddish with horizontal lines; mature bark is dark and broken into scaly plates often compared to burnt cornflakes.
Is black cherry valuable as timber?
Very much so. Its warm reddish-brown wood is one of the most prized native hardwoods for fine furniture, cabinetry, and veneer.
Black Cherry guides
In-depth guides for identifying, growing, and caring for Black Cherry.
