# Black Cherry (*Prunus serotina*) The Black Cherry tree has dark, shiny berries that are loved by birds. It’s a pretty tree in spring when it blooms! - **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 122 - **Habitat:** Forests and fields - **Also known as:** Rum Cherry ![Black Cherry](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426406/objects/4805.jpg) ## Appearance The Black Cherry has distinct dark, scaly bark that looks like burnt potato chips. Its shiny, elongated green leaves turn yellow-orange in fall, and it produces clusters of small white flowers followed by dark red to black cherries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Rosaceae - **Genus:** Prunus ## Interesting facts - Even its wilted leaves and seeds contain a tiny bit of cyanide, making them dangerous to eat. - Its beautiful reddish-brown wood is highly prized for making fancy furniture and musical instruments! - The bark on older Black Cherry trees looks amazingly like burnt cornflakes or potato chips! - Young Black Cherry leaves often have rusty hairs along the main vein on their undersides! ## Special abilities - **Fire Shield Bark:** Black Cherry has thick, scaly bark that helps it resist damage from minor forest fires, aiding its survival. - **Soil Builder:** Black Cherry leaves decompose quickly, adding rich nutrients to the soil that benefit other plants. - **Sun Seeker Growth:** Black Cherry can grow quickly as a young tree, helping it reach for sunlight in crowded forest environments. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-30 m - **Spread:** 8-15 m - **Edible:** Yes - **Size:** 60-120 cm - **Lifespan:** 60-100 years - **Fruit Type:** Drupe - **Growth Rate:** Medium - **Leaf Type:** Deciduous ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — eats fruits, disperses seeds - **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses twigs and leaves - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eats:** Virginia Opossum (*Didelphis virginiana*) — eats fallen ripe cherries ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Black Cherry? Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Black Cherry? 15-30 m ### How wide does Black Cherry spread? 8-15 m ### Is Black Cherry edible? Yes ### How big is Black Cherry? 60-120 cm ### How long does Black Cherry live? 60-100 years ### Where is Black Cherry usually found? Forests and fields ### What kind of fruit does Black Cherry produce? Drupe ## Where to spot - [Audubon Place Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/audubon-place-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Cape Charles Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-charles-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Cedarville State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedarville-state-forest) — Maryland, US · Forest - [Charlestown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charlestown-historic-district) — Maryland, US · Historic District - [Downtown Tuscaloosa Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-tuscaloosa-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [French Quarter](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/french-quarter) — US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Black Cherry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/black-cherry) ## More Trees - [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) - [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*) - [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) - [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) --- Source: [Black Cherry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-cherry)