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Prunus avium

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
PROO-nus AH-vee-um
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Sweet cherry is a deciduous tree cultivated in landscapes in the rose family and native to China.  Its leaves are alternate, simple, and toothed on the margin, with 2 small glands at base of blade.  It has 1 to a few flowers in a rounded cluster, 5-parted and white in color.  The fruit is a fleshy drupe, yellow or red with a large pit (stone).  It has occasionally escaped from gardens and naturalized in the landscape.

Found in: Landscape as a cultivated tree, rarely escaping and naturalizing

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Potential disease problems include leaf spot, bacterial canker, brown rot, black knot, crown gall, leaf curl, leaf scorch, powdery mildew, root rot, scab and shot-hole fungus. Potential insect pests include aphids, fruit flies, saw flies and scale. Birds will eat mature fruits. Late frosts will damage the buds

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.   

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Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#poisonous#edible plant#fruit tree#edible fruits#pollinator plant#larval host plant#butterfly friendly#problem for cats#ebh#ebh-fn#problem for dogs#problem for horses#eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly#vhfn#vhfn-f#frequent insect problems#frequent disease problems#wildlife friendly
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#poisonous#edible plant#fruit tree#edible fruits#pollinator plant#larval host plant#butterfly friendly#problem for cats#ebh#ebh-fn#problem for dogs#problem for horses#eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly#vhfn#vhfn-f#frequent insect problems#frequent disease problems#wildlife friendly
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Prunus
    Species:
    avium
    Family:
    Rosaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Europe to Afghanistan, Northern Africa
    Wildlife Value:
    This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north.
    Play Value:
    Edible fruit
    Edibility:
    Fruit edible raw or cooked.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Poisonous
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Columnar
    Conical
    Maintenance:
    High
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Purple/Lavender
    Red/Burgundy
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Fruit Type:
    Drupe
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Fleshy, yellow to red to purple-red, with a large pit (stone) and long stem.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    1-few in a rounded cluster, 5-parted, 1-1.5 in. Emerge with the leaves.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Toothed on the margin with 2 small red or green glands at the base of the blade. Petiole has a groove.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Light Gray
    Red/Burgundy
    Surface/Attachment:
    Lenticels
    Ridges
    Bark Description:
    Very distinct horizontal lenticels. Old wood may be grey with horizontal ridges.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Edible Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Pollinators
    Problems:
    Frequent Disease Problems
    Frequent Insect Problems
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Medium
    Poison Symptoms:
    The pits contain cyanide compounds, which are poisonous. If a couple of pits are accidentally swallowed, it will not cause poisoning. The pits are more poisonous if they are ground up/crushed or the seeds are chewed. Fruit that has not been pitted should not be blended into a smoothie. Symptoms include Gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma, respiratory failure.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Cyanogenic glycoside, amygdalin
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Leaves
    Seeds
    Stems