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Plant

Black cherry

Prunus serotina

A native deciduous tree — the largest *Prunus* in eastern North America — with dark, scaly mature bark, white spring flower racemes, and small dark cherries in late summer. Important wildlife food for ~70 bird species. The wood is one of the most-prized native cabinet hardwoods. Common across Staten Island's woodland edges, residential yards, and Greenbelt forest gaps. Larval host for tiger swallowtail and red-spotted purple butterflies.

Scientific

Prunus serotina is a 50–80 ft deciduous tree, the largest cherry in eastern North America. White flowers in racemes (drooping clusters) in May; small purple-black cherries (~½ inch) in August. The cherries are bitter to humans but eaten by ~70 bird species, mammals, and (when fallen) by deer.

The wood is among the most-valuable native cabinet hardwoods — straight-grained, fine-textured, ages from pinkish-tan to deep reddish-brown. Black-cherry furniture is a classic American Northeast craft tradition.

Leaves and twigs contain hydrogen-cyanide-releasing compounds (cyanogenic glycosides) — toxic to livestock that consume large quantities of wilted leaves.

On Staten Island

Common across SI woodland edges, the Greenbelt’s forest gaps, residential yards. Pioneer-tolerant — colonizes disturbed forest edges readily. Among the borough’s more-significant fruit trees for wildlife.

See also

Auto-generated from this entry’s typed relations: frontmatter, grouped by relation type so the editorial signal isn’t flattened.

  • Substrate of: [[eastern-tiger-swallowtail]]
  • Produces: [[firewood]]
  • Member of: [[plants]]
  • Contained by: [[staten-island]]

Sources

  • USDA Forest Service Silvics of North America: black cherry
  • Northeastern butterfly host-plant references

Rooted in life.

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Scientific

cousin of

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