Black Cherry
Prunus serotina · Deciduous broadleaf hardwood
Plant Family
Rosaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree, Forest Tree, Native
Variety / Cultivar
Species type, no specific named cultivar identified
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9
About This Tree
A medium to large deciduous tree with a somewhat irregular or rounded crown, known for its dark, rugged bark and dense green foliage that turns yellow to red in autumn
Leaf Characteristics
Alternate, simple, oblong to lanceolate leaves, 2 to 6 inches long, finely serrated margins, dark green and shiny above, paler beneath with distinctive hair tufts along the midrib near the base
Bark Characteristics
Dark gray to almost black, very distinctive on mature trees with rough, scaly plates often described as resembling burnt cornflakes, smooth and reddish-brown with horizontal lenticels when young
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to North America, widespread across the eastern and central United States and parts of Canada
Growing Season
Leafs out in early spring, produces white flowers in dangling racemes in late spring, drops dark cherries in late summer, and enters dormancy in late autumn
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun for optimal growth, prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils, but exhibits moderate drought tolerance once established
Mature Size
Typically reaches 50 to 80 feet in height with a spread of 30 to 60 feet, fast growth rate when young, living up to 150-200 years
Special Characteristics
Valuable hard reddish-brown timber used for fine furniture and cabinetry, high-value wood, edible fruits used for jams and jellies though slightly bitter
Wildlife & Ecology
Extremely high ecological value; host plant for numerous butterfly and moth caterpillars, fruits consumed by a wide variety of birds and mammals, though wilted leaves contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides poisonous to livestock