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IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS
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PIN CHERRY
Prunus pensylvanica
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BLACK CHERRY
Prunus serotina
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COMMON CHOKECHERRY
Prunus virginiana
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CANADA PLUM
Prunus nigra
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| Bark
Reddish brown, nearly smooth. The large lenticels show orange when rubbed.
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Bark
Young trunks black with prominent white lenticels. Older trunks fissured
and ridged with transverse broad, flat plates producing a blocked appearance.
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Bark
Dark grayish-brown, almost black.
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Bark
Dull reddish brown to black. Lenticels yellowish.
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| Leaves
Long and tapering from base to the tip. Widest in the lower third; thin
and firm textured with rounded teeth. Glands on stalk, and no hairs on
midribs.
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Leaves
Elliptic-oblong, widest in the center, thick, leathery and shiny. Underside
of midrib near stalk end covered with rusty, brown hairs. Glands on stalk
near blade. Margin has rounded teeth.
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Leaves
Obovate, widest in the terminal third., sharply saw-toothed and without
hairs, medium leathery in texture, glands on stalk and no brown hairs on
midrib.
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Leaves
Ovate or obovate tapering abruptly into a long thin point. Teeth rounded.
Glands on stalk.
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| Fruit
Bright red in color, 1/4 inch in diameter, hang in umbellate or corymbose
clusters.
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Fruit
Black in color, 1/2 inch in diameter and are produced in a raceme. The
individual fruit has a persistent basal disc.
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Fruit
Deep red to purple in color, 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, produced in
racemes, basal disc not persistent.
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Fruit
1 inch in diameter. Light red to yellow. Football-shaped with a longitudinal
furrow.
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| Winter Buds
Small, ovoid, red-brown in color.
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Winter Buds
Ovate, flattened, red-brown with a lighter or greenish margin.
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Winter Buds
Strictly cone-shaped, slender, pointed, with a purple to tan pattern.
Side buds not flattened.
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Winter Buds
Cone-shaped, pointed, gray-brown.
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| Twigs
Red or reddish-brown, very fine with a very slight cherry odor.
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Twigs
Reddish-brown, waxy, producing a sharp, pungent smell when broken.
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Twigs
Gray or purplish-brown, medium slender with a very strong, pungent,
skunky odor.
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Twigs
Current growth gray, older growth gradually darkening to black. Thorns
common on older twigs.
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| The twigs and branches of cherry and plum trees may be
distored by "black knot" fungus. |