// SPECIES PROFILE · TREE · NATIVE · WILDLIFE / TIMBER

Black Cherry

Prunus serotina

The largest of NE Oklahoma's native cherries — a forest-canopy tree of the Ozark uplands and bottomland edges, with elongated white flower racemes in May, small dark fruit gobbled by birds and bears through August, the unmistakable "burnt-cornflakes" bark of mature trunks, and the famous reddish-brown heartwood that has been the premier American cabinet timber for two centuries. Black cherry is also one of the most ecologically valuable trees in eastern North America — over 450 species of native Lepidoptera use it as a host plant per Doug Tallamy's insect-host research, the highest count in the entire Prunus genus and one of the highest of any single eastern tree species.

// QUICK FACTS

Family: Rosaceae (rose family)
Group: Large deciduous canopy tree
Native range: Eastern N. America: Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Oklahoma, Texas, & eastern Great Plains; disjunct populations in Mexico & Guatemala
NE Oklahoma: Native & common in Ozark uplands, bottomland edges, fence-rows, and second-growth woods
USDA hardiness: Zones 3–9
Mature size: 50–80 ft tall × 30–60 ft wide; can exceed 100 ft & 4 ft DBH on best sites
Crown form: Tall oval; trunk often clear of branches for 30–40 ft in forest
Lifespan: ~150–200 years
Sun: Full sun (best growth) to part shade (forest understory recruit)
Soil: Adaptable; deep moist well-drained loam ideal; tolerates clay & rocky uplands
Bloom: Mid May — pendulous white racemes 4–6 in long, fragrant
Fruit: Small dark purple-black drupes ~8–10 mm; ripens July–August
Wildlife value: ~450+ Lepidoptera spp. as host (Tallamy); fruit eaten by ~70 bird species, bears, foxes, raccoons
Wood: The premier American cabinet hardwood — rich reddish-brown heartwood, fine grain, very stable
Caution: Wilted leaves & seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides — livestock-toxic when wilted
Ecological role: Wildlife magnet · fragrant spring flowers · cabinet wood

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) showing dark scaly bark and pendant white flower racemes — *Prunus serotina* — the dark "burnt cornflakes" bark and pendant white racemes of NE Oklahoma's largest native cherry. Photo via Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons.

Identification

[ field key — burnt-cornflakes bark · pendant racemes · serrated lance-leaves · bitter-almond inner bark ]

Bark — the diagnostic feature

Young trees: smooth, lustrous, reddish-brown to dark gray with prominent horizontal lenticels (just like the bark of the cultivated sweet cherry, only darker). Mature trees: bark breaks into the unmistakable "burnt-cornflakes" pattern — small, dark gray-black, slightly upturned scaly plates. The transition happens over decades and the two patterns co-exist on the same trunk for years. Crushed inner bark smells distinctly of bitter almonds (the cyanogenic glycoside prunasin) — a fast confirmation in the field.

Leaves

Alternate, simple, narrowly elliptic to lance-shaped, 2–6 in long, finely incurved-serrate on the margins (the teeth point forward and curl in toward the leaf tip — a diagnostic Prunus serotina feature). Upper surface lustrous dark green; lower surface paler, with a distinctive line of rust-colored hairs along the midrib (look closely; this is the easiest P. serotina field confirmation). Petiole bears two reddish glands near the leaf blade. Fall color clean clear yellow with rose tones.

Flowers & fruit

Flowers in elongated pendant racemes 4–6 in long at the tips of the current-year shoots in mid May — this elongated raceme is the easy way to distinguish black cherry from chokecherry (whose racemes are similar but typically borne on shorter shoots and ripening to red), and from American plum (whose flowers are clustered, not raceme-borne). Each flower 8–12 mm across, white, fragrant, attracting bees and small flies. Fruit a small dark purple-black drupe ~8–10 mm, bitter-sweet, with a single hard pit; ripens July–August; stains pavement and cars heavily.

Confusables

Most often confused with Prunus virginiana (chokecherry), which is shrubby or small-tree, has rounder leaves, ripens to red rather than black, and lacks the rust-hair midrib. P. mexicana (Mexican plum) has solitary or umbel-clustered flowers, not racemes. P. americana (American plum) has clustered flowers and larger reddish plums. The cultivated sweet cherry (P. avium) has solitary or umbel-clustered flowers and large red-yellow edible cherries.

Habitat & Range in NE Oklahoma

Prunus serotina is one of the most widely distributed trees of eastern North America — native from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Oklahoma and Texas, with disjunct mountain populations as far south as Guatemala. In NE Oklahoma it is genuinely common across the Ozark uplands of Cherokee, Adair, Delaware, Mayes, and northern Sequoyah counties, in Cross Timbers oak-hickory transition forests, along bottomland forest margins, in fence-rows, and as a pioneer in old field edges and second-growth woods throughout the Tulsa region.

Black cherry is a classic opportunistic forest tree: it germinates readily in disturbed forest gaps, grows fast for the first 20–40 years on good sites, and is shade-tolerant enough to recruit slowly under a partial canopy. Birds (especially American robin, cedar waxwing, and many thrushes) move enormous quantities of seed each summer, which is why black cherry seedlings are one of the most reliable volunteers in any disturbed woodland edge in NE Oklahoma. The species reaches its best development on deep moist Ozark loams; it tolerates rocky uplands and clay but stays smaller and shorter-lived on poor sites.

Ecology & Wildlife Value

[ host plant · fruit mast · pollinator · forest succession ]

Lepidoptera host record

Doug Tallamy's USDA-funded research at the University of Delaware documented ~450+ species of native Lepidoptera larvae using Prunus serotina as a host plant in the eastern US — among the highest counts of any single eastern tree species, second only to native oaks (Quercus) and slightly above willows (Salix). Notable species supported include cecropia moth, promethea moth, eastern tiger swallowtail (one of several hosts), red-spotted purple, viceroy, eastern tent caterpillar (the famous early-spring webs are Malacosoma americanum, the most visible of the cherry's lepidopteran associates), and dozens of small geometrid and noctuid moths. Black cherry is not just a nice tree — it is an ecological powerhouse.

Fruit mast for birds & mammals

Roughly 70 species of birds are documented eating black cherry fruit — including American robin, cedar waxwing, eastern bluebird, gray catbird, red-eyed and warbling vireo, summer tanager, scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, northern cardinal, eastern kingbird, and most thrushes. Mammals include black bear (in the Ouachita ecoregion), raccoon, gray and red fox, opossum, eastern chipmunk, and squirrels. The seed passes through bird and mammal guts intact — gut passage actually improves germination — making frugivores the primary dispersal mechanism.

Spring nectar source

The pendant white racemes are an important early-to-mid-May nectar source for honey bees, bumble bees, native solitary bees, and small flies. Most of the pollination is done by bees and small flies; the fragrance is strongest at midday. Cherry honey is occasionally sold by NE Oklahoma beekeepers as a specialty.

Forest succession & site dynamics

Black cherry is a classic mid-successional species — pioneer enough to colonize disturbed sites, shade-tolerant enough to persist in mixed-canopy forest. It is one of the dominant trees of the Allegheny hardwood forest type (PA/NY) where it reaches its highest commercial value. In NE Oklahoma it is more of a co-dominant in oak-hickory and bottomland mixed forest, less dominant than in its Appalachian center.

Cyanide warning — serious for livestock: All parts of Prunus serotina except the fruit pulp contain cyanogenic glycosides (primarily prunasin) that release hydrogen cyanide on enzymatic digestion. Wilted or frost-damaged leaves are the main hazard: the wilting process activates the enzyme that releases cyanide. Cattle, horses, sheep, and goats have died from eating black cherry branches dropped after a storm or pruning. Do not leave cut cherry branches accessible to livestock. The pits also contain cyanide; the fruit pulp is safe to eat for humans and is the basis for cherry preserves and cherry brandy.

Eastern tent caterpillar: The conspicuous silken webs that appear in the crotches of black cherry branches in early spring are the larvae of Malacosoma americanum. The defoliation looks dramatic but is rarely a long-term problem for the tree — the tree refoliates in late spring and life goes on. Manual removal of webs is the gentlest intervention; spraying is rarely warranted on a healthy tree.

Horticulture & Care

[ siting · planting · pruning · pests · cultivars ]

When to plant

Bare-root or container in late winter (February–March) before bud break, or fall (October–November). Direct-sown seed germinates after cold-moist stratification for 90–120 days — outdoor fall sowing (broadcast under leaf litter) is the easiest method.

Planting & establishment

Sun: full sun for fastest growth; tolerates part shade in forest-edge plantings.
Soil: deep moist well-drained loam ideal; tolerates clay; tolerates rocky upland sites where it stays smaller.
Spacing: 30–40 ft from buildings, sidewalks, and parked cars (the falling fruit is messy & the pavement stain is permanent).
Water: deep weekly watering through the first two summers; very drought-tolerant once established.
Mulch: 3–4 in wood-chip ring out to drip line; kept off trunk.

Pruning & structure

Prune in late summer (July–August), not in dormant season. Cherry is a bleeder when pruned in spring — sap flow is heavy and wounds dry slowly — and it is highly susceptible to silver-leaf and bacterial canker through dormant-season wounds. Light formative pruning for structure; remove dead, crossing, or rubbing limbs. Old field-grown trees often have heavy lower limbs that should be limbed up early to encourage clean trunk development.

Pests & diseases

Eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) — conspicuous spring webs; rarely seriously damaging; manual web removal is sufficient.
Black knot (Apiosporina morbosa) — black tarry galls on twigs and small branches; prune out affected wood 6 in below the gall in summer.
Cherry leaf spot, shothole, powdery mildew — cosmetic; rake fall leaves to reduce inoculum.
Borers (peach tree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa) — can be a problem on stressed urban trees; healthy vigor is the main defense.
Bacterial canker, silver leaf — serious wood diseases; prune in summer only; never wound dormant cherry.

Cultivars & commercial selections

Cultivar	Form	Distinguishing feature	Notes
Wild type	Tall forest tree	Standard species form	The best ecological choice; also the source of the timber industry's stock.
'Cartilaginea'	Smaller, denser	Glossier, somewhat thicker leaves	Older European nursery selection; rare.
'Pendula' / weeping forms	Weeping	Pendant branches	Top-grafted ornamental; uncommon in OK trade.
Allegheny / PA timber-grade selections	Tall straight bole	Grown for cabinet timber in PA/NY/WV	Not sold as a landscape cultivar; a forestry industry stock.

For most NE Oklahoma planting purposes, the wild-type local seed is the best choice — locally adapted to drought, clay, and the regional pest community.

Cultural & Material Uses

Black cherry has perhaps the deepest material-culture record of any native eastern tree — a centuries-long history as a furniture wood, a cordial flavor, a folk-medicinal cough remedy, and a wildlife and game-cover staple.

Cabinet wood — the premier American hardwood: Black cherry heartwood is rich reddish-brown, deepening with age and light exposure into a glowing patina — the visual signature of Shaker furniture, of Appalachian cabinetmaking, and of the highest grades of American 19th- and 20th-century furniture. The wood is fine-grained, very stable, easy to work, and takes finish beautifully. Best timber comes from the Allegheny Plateau (PA/NY/WV); NE Oklahoma trees produce smaller but still useful sawlogs.
Cherry-bark cough syrup: Inner bark of P. serotina contains prunasin, which in small carefully prepared doses has been used for centuries as the active ingredient in folk and pharmacopeial cough remedies (the original "wild cherry bark" cough syrup was made from this species). Listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia historically. Do not attempt home preparation — the active compounds are also the cyanogenic glycosides discussed above; commercial preparations standardize and detoxify; home preparations do not.
Rum cherry / cherry brandy / cherry wine: The fruit was the basis for "rum cherry" cordial in colonial Virginia — the dark bitter-sweet drupes steeped in rum or brandy give the spirit a deep color and a complex almond-cherry flavor. Cherry bounce, cherry brandy, and small-batch cherry wine remain regional specialties in the Ozarks and Appalachians.
Indigenous uses: Documented uses across many eastern tribes including Cherokee, Iroquois, Delaware, Ojibwa, and others — inner bark in cough remedies, fruit fresh and dried, wood for tools and bows. Specific tribal practices are documented in Moerman's Native American Ethnobotany; do not generalize.
Wildlife planting: One of the highest-value wildlife trees that will fit in a residential or rural landscape — both for the Lepidoptera host record and for the soft mast eaten by birds and mammals.
Edible fruit (with caveats): The ripe fruit pulp is edible raw — bitter-sweet, with a pronounced almond aftertaste — and is excellent in jelly, syrup, wine, and pie. Always remove the pits (cyanide). The ripe fruit pulp itself is safe; the pits and unripe fruit are not.

Sources & Further Reading

USDA NRCS PLANTS Database — Prunus serotina: plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PRSE2
USDA Forest Service Silvics of North America, Vol. 2 (Hardwoods) — Prunus serotina: srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654 — prunus/serotina
USDA Forest Service Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) — Prunus serotina: fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/pruser
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center — Prunus serotina: wildflower.org — PRSE2
Tallamy, D.W. (2007/2020). Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope — Lepidoptera-host data for Prunus in eastern N. America (~450 spp.).
Tallamy, D.W. & Shropshire, K.J. (2009). "Ranking lepidopteran use of native vs. introduced plants." Conservation Biology.
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Prunus serotina.
OSU Extension — Trees for Oklahoma Landscapes (HLA-6422).
Marquis, D.A. (1990). "Prunus serotina — black cherry," in Silvics of North America, USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 654.
Moerman, D.E. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press — documented Indigenous uses of Prunus serotina.
Wikipedia — Prunus serotina: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_serotina (CC BY-SA 4.0; portions of the description and ecology summaries draw on Wikipedia content).

Black Cherry

Identification

Bark — the diagnostic feature

Leaves

Flowers & fruit

Confusables

Habitat & Range in NE Oklahoma

Ecology & Wildlife Value

Lepidoptera host record

Fruit mast for birds & mammals

Spring nectar source

Forest succession & site dynamics

Horticulture & Care

When to plant

Planting & establishment

Pruning & structure

Pests & diseases

Cultivars & commercial selections

Cultural & Material Uses

Sources & Further Reading

Companion Planting