PIN CHERRY or

FIRE CHERRY

PIN CHERRY or Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica)

Pin cherry is a tree of small size, seldom growing taller than 25-30 feet and 6-10 inches in diameter. It has slender, horizontal branches and a narrow, somewhat rounded head.

It is common in the state but of little value except as a protection and cover for the soil on recent clearings or burned areas.

The bark on the trunk of old trees is dark red-brown and broken into thin plates. That on young trees is smooth and reddish brown. The inner bark is slightly aromatic and very bitter. The large lenticels show orange when rubbed.

The leaves are alternate, narrow to oblong, widest in the lower third, rather sharp pointed, finely and sharply toothed on the edges, bright green and shiny above, without hairs below, 3-4 inches long, bitter and aromatic, with glands on petiole.

The flowers are white, in clusters of 4 or 5 and appear in May when the leaves are only about half grown.

The fruit is bright red, almost; translucent, about the size of a pea, globular in shape, and ripens from the first of July to August.

The twigs are shiny, reddish-brown and very slender. The buds are small, ovoid, reddish-brown and clustered at the end of twigs.

The wood is coarse-grained, soft and light. It is not used commercially. The gum is edible.