Bird Cherry Prunus pensylvanica
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus pen-sill-VAN-ee-kah
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Fire Cherry is a deciduous tree that is native to much of Canada and south to Georgia in the Appalachian mountains. In NC it is found in the mountains only. It grows in dry to moist clearings, open woods, woodland edges and disturbed sites. Its seeds sprout easily after a fire and can lay dormant for many years. In fact, it has its common name, Fire Cherry, due to its value as a reforesting agent after fires. It has another common name, Bird Cherry, that comes from the fact that birds use the fruits of this plant for food. It is a small narrow tree to shrub in form and may reach heights of 30 feet or more. This tree is generally short-lived around 20-40 years but is a high-value wildlife tree. It grows rapidly and has a shallow root system. The wood is not used commercially. This plant forms stands that provide shade for seedlings of plants with a slower growth rate. This plant will then die off, making room for the seedlings to grow.
Fire Cherry prefers well-drained, moist soils in full sun. It is very intolerant of shade. The clusters of white flowers in spring are showy as are the red drupes in summer and fall. The bark is also attractive with horizontal lenticels and may also peel in strips.
Fire Cherry Prefers cooler summers and would not do well in hot humid climates. It can be used in naturalized areas, meadows or open woodland sites for wildlife to enjoy. There are better trees to use for the home yard or garden especially in the Piedmont and coastal areas.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: The most common leaf disease is cherry leaf spot. Powdery mildew and rust can be a problem. The most widespread and commonly observed disease of pin cherry is black knot. Insects that attack pin cherries are leaf feeders, eastern tent caterpillars, fall cankerworms, and a web-spinning sawflies.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Jumping Pond'
- 'Stockton'
- 'Jumping Pond'
- 'Jumping Pond', 'Stockton'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Jumping Pond'
- 'Stockton'
- 'Jumping Pond'
- 'Jumping Pond', 'Stockton'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- pensylvanica
- Family:
- Roseaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Parts of the tree has been used medicinally
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- United States and Canada
- Distribution:
- USA: CO , CT , GA , IA , IL , IN , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MT , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV , WY Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , ON , PE , QC , SK
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- It is a host plant for the Coral Hairstreak, Red-Spotted Purple, Spring Azure, and Viceroy butterflies. Adult butterflies nectar from the spring flowers. This is a also 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.Its fruits are eaten by songbirds, small mammals and bears. Ruffed grouse eat the buds. Foilage and twigs are browsed by white-tailed deer and moose.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- fire in the landscape.
- Edibility:
- Fruits can be used for jelly or syrup. Sour off the tree.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Open
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 1/ 4-inch red drupe with a single seed in the center in late summer and fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Umbel
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- 1/2-inch flowers with 5 white petals and several yellow-tipped stamens in the center occur in spring. Umbrels have 3-7 flowers each and occur at branch tips and short lateral branches. Flower blooms from April to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are simple and alternate and oval to lance-shaped. 3 to 5 inches long and ¾ to 1½ inches wide, pointed tip, tapered or rounded base. The upper surface is dark yellow-green and shiny, the lower surface lighter and smooth or with hairs along the veins. Margins are finely serrated. Fall color is showy in reds and oranges.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Dark Gray
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- The bark shiny reddish-brown to gray with conspicuous horizontal lenticels (pores). Bark peels in horizontal strips
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Cluster of terminal buds
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are red to reddish-brown, shiny smooth or occasionally sparsely hairy with a flaky, waxy cuticle.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Short-lived
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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:
- Bark
- Flowers
- Leaves
- Stems
