Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Form

Height 50 to 70 feet, diameter 8 inches to 2 feet; with a narrow to broadly rounded crown.

Bark

Smooth, bright, reddish-brown, marked by conspicuous narrow, white horizontal lines on young trees; on older trunks, thick, dark brown to nearly black, rough and broken into thick irregular scales.

Leaf

Alternate; simple, oval, shiny above, paler below; edges broken by many fine incurved teeth. Petioles and small branches have bitter almond taste.

Fruit

A drupe, borne in long, hanging clusters; dull purplish-black, containing a single seed; is edible but somewhat bitter; ripens in late summer.

Range

Distributed over entire state, but is most common in southern half on the better soils.

Wood

Reddish-brown with yellowish sapwood, moderately heavy, strong, fine-grained; does not warp or split in seasoning; has exceptional lustre and color; used for furniture, interior furnishing, tools and implement handles.