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THE CHERRIES

 AND PLUMS

IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS

PIN CHERRY

Prunus pensylvanica

BLACK CHERRY

Prunus serotina

COMMON CHOKECHERRY

Prunus virginiana

CANADA PLUM

Prunus nigra

Bark

Reddish brown, nearly smooth. The large lenticels show orange when rubbed.

Bark

Young trunks black with prominent white lenticels. Older trunks fissured and ridged with transverse broad, flat plates producing a blocked appearance.

Bark

Dark grayish-brown, almost black.

Bark

Dull reddish brown to black. Lenticels yellowish.

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.

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.

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.

Leaves

Ovate or obovate tapering abruptly into a long thin point. Teeth rounded. Glands on stalk.

Fruit

Bright red in color, 1/4 inch in diameter, hang in umbellate or corymbose clusters.

Fruit

Black in color, 1/2 inch in diameter and are produced in a raceme. The individual fruit has a persistent basal disc.

Fruit

Deep red to purple in color, 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, produced in racemes, basal disc not persistent.

Fruit

1 inch in diameter. Light red to yellow. Football-shaped with a longitudinal furrow.

Winter Buds

Small, ovoid, red-brown in color.

Winter Buds

Ovate, flattened, red-brown with a lighter or greenish margin.

Winter Buds

Strictly cone-shaped, slender, pointed, with a purple to tan pattern. Side buds not flattened.

Winter Buds

Cone-shaped, pointed, gray-brown.

Twigs

Red or reddish-brown, very fine with a very slight cherry odor.

Twigs

Reddish-brown, waxy, producing a sharp, pungent smell when broken.

Twigs

Gray or purplish-brown, medium slender with a very strong, pungent, skunky odor.

Twigs

Current growth gray, older growth gradually darkening to black. Thorns common on older twigs.

The twigs and branches of cherry and plum trees may be distored by "black knot" fungus.

OTHER CHERRIES AND PLUMS:

BEACH PLUM (Prunus maritima)

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71A

Thorns common on older twigs. Next
71B Thorns not present. Next