Description
P. serotina – Black Cherry – Wild Rum Cherry – This fast growing, broadly columnar, deciduous tree from Eastern and Central North America grows 60-100′ feet tall and 30′ feet wide.It has dark brown bark.It produces elliptic, finely serrated, glossy, dark green, pointed leaves with paler undersides, to 6″ long, with downy midribs, turning yellow or pale scarlet in autumn.In late spring, bowl shaped, fragrant white flowers, ½” across are borne in drooping racemes to 6″ long, they are followed by pea sized, spherical, edible red fruit, ½” across, ripening to black, which attract birds.The timber is highly prized.
Grow in any moist but well drained, moderately fertile, humus enriched soil, deciduous species and cultivars in full sun, evergreens in full sun or partial shade.P. laurocerasus may become chlorotic on shallow alkaline soil.Trim deciduous hedges after flowering, evergreen in early or mid spring.Protect from strong wind.Feed with high nitrogen fertilizer.Few are drought tolerant.
zones 4-8
