Shop

Donate

Donate Shop Plant Database Contact Blog

Native Plant Database

Header Photo: Mervin Wallace

Black Cherry

Prunus serotina
Plant Type: Trees
Native Environment: Forest
Season of Interest: Mid (May - June), Winter (Nov - Mar)
Main Color: Green
Fall Color: Orange, Red, Yellow

USDA PLANTS Range Map

At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

Sun Exposure 
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade
Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate
Nature Attracting
Wildlife Benefit
Cover, Food/Birds, Food/Small Animals, Nesting
Animal
Resistance
Size

Height:

50 to
60
feet

Spread:

20 to
30
feet
Size
Height: 50 to
60
feet
Spread: 20 to
30
feet
Size
Height: 50 to
60
feet
Spread: 20 to
30
feet
Typical Landscape Use
Shade tree specimen. Valuable wood for furniture, fruit is edible and suitable for jelly and wine-making.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Tolerant of many soil types, from wet to dry. Full sun-partial shade. Fast growing.
Special Features
Interesting Bark
Special Usage
Basic Description

Tall, narrow tree. Dark green leaves in summer, turning a good yellow to red in fall. Beautiful white flowers droop like long tassles from the branches in May. Lots of red fruit ripen to black in September. Gray-black scaly bark that peels is very attractive. Edible fruit can be messy and seedlings can be troublesome in garden situations if not tended. Great food source for birds.

 

Scaly brown tree bark.

Black cherry bark. Photo: Carol Davit.

Where Should I Start?

Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.

Narrow It Down!

What’s the Next Step?

Picked out your plants? View our Resource Guide of garden centers, seed sources, landscapers, education resources, and more!

Connect

Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?

Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.

Learn
Support the Grow Native! Program
Donate Now
Skip to content