30 Apr What Tree? Wild Cherry
Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)
Our tree this month is prunus avium, otherwise known as wild cherry. Thanks to its beautiful blossom and shiny red fruits it is celebrated as one of the prettiest of our native trees and is regularly planted in parks and residential gardens. These fruits, the cherries, also appeal to a variety of birds who eat them and disperse the seeds, hence the second part of its botanical name – avium.
Cherries have been consumed by humans for several thousand years, with stones found in bronze age settlements being dated as early as 2077 BC. By 800 BC they were being actively cultivated. In the fifteenth century ‘cherries on the ryse’ (meaning on the twig) was one of the street cries of London, and the cultivated variety which we are familiar with today is said to have been introduced by the fruiterer of Henry VIII who brought it over from Flanders.
It is not just its fruit and flowers which make this tree so popular – its wood is often used for smoking foods, particularly meats, as it gives a sweetly scented smoke which adds a pleasant flavour. The wood is also valued for its rich, reddish-brown colour and fine grain, making it good for high-quality furniture making, woodturning, cabinetry and veneers.
In many cultures cherry blossoms are associated with love and fertility, and in European mythology the trees were believed to ward off evil spirits. They were also considered to be a source of natural remedies. These days they are enjoyed simply for their beauty and for the fruit they bear.
Appearance and Identification
The wild cherry is a deciduous tree growing anywhere from five to 25 metres tall. They tend to bear a symmetrical conical crown which becomes rounder and more irregular with age. The bark of younger trees is smooth and reddish-brown, becoming thicker and more fissured on old trees.
Bark of a young tree
Bark of an older tree
In spring the wild cherry is one of the first to bloom, bursting into masses of delicate white flowers that hang in clusters of five-petalled blossoms. The leaves follow shortly after and are oval in shape with finely serrated edges. Bright green at first, they fade to orange and deep crimson in autumn.
Wild cherry blossom
Wild cherry leaves
The blossoms are hermaphroditic and pollinated by bees. In summer they give way to small, glossy red or purple-black cherries, for which this species is so popular.
Propagation and Control
Wild cherry is native throughout the UK and Europe, except the far north. It grows best in full sunlight and fertile soil. Generally a hardy species it can succumb to bacterial canker which causes oozing lesions on the bark and dieback of shoots and branches.
Thanks to the attractive taste of its fruits it is often targeted by birds which can be a frustration to the tree grower!
Source and Reference Materials
Information detailed in this post has been obtained from the author’s own knowledge and photographic library where possible. Additional source of information and photographs include:
Van den Berk, B.V. (2004). Van den Berk on Trees. Van den Berk Nurseries.