Sweet Cherry Prunus avium
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus AH-vee-um
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Prunus avium is a deciduous tree cultivated in landscapes. Its leaves are alternate, simple, and toothed on the margin, with 2 small glands at base of blade. It has 1-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.
Poison Part: Wilted leaves, twigs (stems), seeds
Poison Delivery Mode: Ingestion
Edibility: EDIBLE PARTS: Fruit edible raw or cooked.
Severity: HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN!
Found in: Landscape as cultivated tree, rarely escaping and naturalizing
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- avium
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe to Afghanistan, Northern Africa
- Play Value:
- Edible fruit
- Edibility:
- EDIBLE PARTS: Fruit edible raw or cooked.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Description:
- Fleshy, yellow or red, with a large pit (stone)
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Description:
- 1-few in a rounded cluster, 5-parted
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Toothed on the margin, with 2 small glands at base of blade
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN! Gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma, and respiratory failure. Laetrile from the seeds is a dangerous, controversial treatment for cancer. Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, panting, shock.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycoside, amygdalin
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Seeds
- Stems
