Prunus pensylvanica - (image 1 of 5)
Taxonomy
Family: Rosaceae
Habitat
Moist to dry woods, openings. Disturbed sandy soil. Often establishes after fire but intolerant of shade and does not persist for long.
Associates
Distribution
Newfoundland and Labrador west to British Columbia, south PA to CO and in mountains to NC and TN.
Morphology
Deciduous shrub or small tree to 15 m. Stems slender, reddish and shiny. Leaves shiny, dark green, alternate, simple, often more than twice as long as wide, long-acuminate, broadest at or below the middle, finely serrate, the teeth incurved and gland-tipped. Flowers white, less than 2 cm across, 2-5 in umbels or short racemes; pedicels averaging more than 1 cm long. Fruit a rounded drupe, light red, juicy, acid, less than 1 cm in diameter.
Notes
Flowers April to June
Wetland indicator: Facultative Upland -
These trees were photographed in a forest clearing created by a tornado. Fall color can be yellow or red. Also called Fire Cherry.
References
Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants:
Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
5th ed. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY.
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
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Michael Hough © 2009 |