Permaculture Plants: Cherry, Sweet

The Sweet Cherry is a more temperamental tree to grow, but the fruit is probably worth it

http://www.harmafruit.com/cma/images/p1010008.jpg

 

Common Name: Sweet Cherry, Wild Cherry
Scientific Name: Prunus avium

Family: Rosaceae

Prized by birds, we need to protect our harvest... if we want one!

http://ivanovo.alleyann.ru/assets/images/products/2232/PrunusAvium_01.jpg

 

There is a wide range of cherry colors from which to choose.

All have their own unique flavor

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajnCvEFg5zawd-X09RiMiFK3O3ISHG967D4hANkUX5yzUBfZbGUMQK5gZ4dikPgPGj1gjB5Buet_FjPT0gj_cRjVrEGDyW22Ze-2p2RgV4CvJAhSN3awcchy1n4Kcn7EIm-5-jh_cQJeq/s1600/Yellow+cherries.jpg

 

Description:

Sweet Cherries (a.k.a. Wild Cherry or Bird Cherry) are the cherries commonly sold in grocery stores. These prized fruits are significantly more picky about their growing enviroment and are more susceptible to pests and disease than their cousins the Sour Cherry. However, if you have the space, and some luck (or a lot of time for babying it), you will have one of the best tasting fruits in the natural world. I plan on growing a few of these trees on my land for all their other attributes like attracting beneficial insects, wildlife food, and wood production. If I get a small to medium harvest, I will be thrilled.

Prunus avium

http://luirig.altervista.org/cpm/albums/thome/thome00464-prunus-avium.jpg

 

History:

Sweet Cherries have been consumed by humans for thousands of years. Native to the Mediterranean region, likely eastern Europe/western Turkey, it has spread through accidental and intentional plantings. Sweet Cherries were cultivated in Turkey by 800 BC. Since then,they have been grown on all continents but Antartica.

 

Trivia:

• Sweet Cherries can be dark purple (almost black) to bright red to bright yellow to almost white... and any color along this spectrum (birds prefer red fruits)
• An older used division of Sweet Cherries split them into the Heart (a.k.a. English Gean - cherries with a softer flesh) and Bigarreau (cherries with a firmer flesh - these are the kind typically in grocery stores)
• Sweet Cherries were once known as Gean and Mazzard
• Sweet Cherries are also known as Wild Cherries, because in Europe, these trees do indeed grow wild in many places
• An Early Bonze Age human settlement in Italy had Sweet Cherry pits dating to 2077 BC

 

Sweet Cherry attracts beneficial insects.

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Serbia/North/Serbia/Belgrade/photo657389.htm

USING THIS PLANT

Primary Uses:

• Fresh Eating!
• Baking - pies, tarts, turnovers, etc.
• Cooking - used in savory dishes commonly with meats
• Preserves, jams, jellies, etc.
• Juice - often combined with other sweeter fruit juices or sweeteners (sugar, honey, etc.)
• Dried
• Fruit Leather
• Flavoring component to beers, wines, and liquers

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
• Wildlife food source, especially birds (Summer)
• Specimen plant (i.e. decorative) - some varieties have been developed for profuse flower production, but these are often sterile and will not produce fruit
• Living Fence/Hedge plant
• Larger varieties may be coppiced for wood used in woodworking, fuel, etc. (will delay fruit production for a few years after each coppicing)
• Wood - high quality lumber
• Gum - sap that has dried over bark wounds can be chewed as a natural gum

 

Yield: 1-2 bushels/35-70 liters/50-100 lbs (22.5-45 kg) per tree, large standard trees have been known to produce up to 300 lbs of fruit!

Harvesting: Summer (July-September). Pick when the fruit is ripe... when the fruit is in full color and the fruit stalk (stem connecting the fruit to the tree) separates easily from the tree

Storage: Fresh Sweet Cherries should be used within a few days, maybe up to two weeks if kept very cool and moist. Sweet Cherries typically freeze well.

Sweet Cherry in Spring bloom... breathtaking.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/S%C3%BC%C3%9Fkirsche_Prunus_avium.jpg

 

Sweet Cherry trees can grow to be one of the largest fruit trees.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Prunus_avium.jpg

 

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9

AHS Heat Zone: 8-1

Chill Requirement: 500-1,500 hours/units depending on the variety

Plant Type: Very Small to Large Tree

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Forest Garden Use: Canopy Tree Layer, Sub-Canopy (Understory) Layer, Shrub Layer

Cultivars/Varieties: Many varieties available.

Pollination: A few are self-fertile, but most require cross-pollination from another compatible variety/cultivar. See the following links for compatibility charts:
Raintree Nursery Cherry Compatibility Chart
NY State Ag Extension Cherry Compatibility Chart (go to page 3)
 

Flowering: Spring. April-May depending on the variety and USDA Zone where it is planted. May be susceptible to late frosts.

Life Span:

Years to Begin Bearing: 4-5 years, earlier for dwarf varieties, later for non-grafted trees

Years to Maximum Bearing: 10-20 years

Years of Useful Life: 15-25

Typical lateral banding of Sweet Cherry.

Young trees have more. Older trees become more gnarled.

http://www.johnsonscreek.co.uk/Prunus%20avium-bark-15-02-05.jpg

 

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT

Size: Standard (full-sized trees): 25-35 feet (7.5-10.5 meters) tall and 35-40 feet (10.5-12 meters) wide depending on the variety/cultivar, and many do not reach max height.
Wild varieties may grow double the size of Standard fruit varieties.
Semidwarf trees are about half sized and Dwarf trees are about one quarter size of Standard.

Roots: Fibrous, may sucker

Growth Rate: Medium

Cherries should be picked when perfectly ripe but do not store well.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Prunus_avium1.jpg

  

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT

Light: Prefers full sun

Shade: Tolerates a little shade

Moisture: Medium soil moisture

pH: most species prefer fairly neutral soil (6.1 - 7.0)

Special Considerations for Growing:

• Many edible cherries tolerate juglone (natural growth inhibitor produced by Black Walnut and its relatives). If not sure, then consider using other trees as a buffer between your walnuts and other plantings.
• Consider netting to protect fruit crop from the birds.
• Consider choosing varieties with fruits other than red - birds prefer red fruits
• A site in full sun with well drained soil will help prevent pests and disease

Propagation:
Usually grafted. Seeds need at least 13-16 weeks cold stratification for germination and can take up to 18 months to germinate. Cuttings can be taken from Early Spring through Summer. Suckers can be divided in dormancy, but only consider this if the tree is not grafted.

Maintenance:

Minimal. Prune out live wood for training as desired and dead or diseased wood in late Summer and Autumn - not when dormant.

Concerns:

Poisonous – Leaves and seeds contain a precursor to cyanide (large amounts need to be eaten for this to be toxic).
 

Napolean (a.k.a. Royal Anne) Sweet Cherries, perfectly ripe!

http://yurtstudents.wikispaces.com/file/view/royal_anne_cherry_tree.jpg/263378906/526x355/royal_anne_cherry_tree.jpg

 

Permaculture Plants: Cherry, Tart or Sour

The Tart or Sour Cherry should be required for every home.

http://classics.uc.edu/~parker/hortus/plants.pictures/C/cerasus/images/Prunus.cerasus.2.jpg

Common Name: Tart Cherry, Sour Cherry
Scientific Name: Prunus cerasus

Family: Rosaceae

A bowl of Tart Cherries... life doesn't get much better!

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6130/5977714767_a4d3fb4179_z.jpg

 

Description:

The Tart Cherry (a.k.a. Sour Cherry) is closely related to the Sweet Cherry, but as the name implies, it is significantly tarter than its cousin. Tart Cherries can be eaten fresh when perfectly ripe, but are most widely used for baking and cooking. The fruit alone is enough reason to grow this small tree, and if space is an issue consider dwarfing varieties at only 3-6 foot (1-2 meter) tall "trees". Tart Cherries are beautiful in the Spring, provide nectar and pollen to beneficial insects, and its wood has a number of uses. It is significantly more hardy of cold, heat, drought, pests, and disease than the Sweet Cherry, and there are plenty of varieties to choose for your home or Forest Garden.

Prunus cerasus, Franz Eugen Köhler, 1897

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prunus_cerasus_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-113.jpg

 

History:

It is believed that the Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus) was a wild cross between the European Dwarf/Mongolian Cherry (Prunus fruticosa) and the Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) somewhere in what is now modern day Turkey. It was prized by the Greeks and Romans, the later who introduced it to Britain. The 'Kentish Red' Tart Cherry was the first Tart Cherry planted in North America by British colonists in Massachusetts. There have been many cultivars/varieties developed around the world, and it still remains popular today mainly for baking, cooking, and juicing.

Amarelle (left) and Morello (right) are the two classes of Tart Cherries

http://www.hrt.msu.edu/faculty/Iezzoni/Balaton/fruit.jpg

 

Trivia:

• Tart Cherries flower later in the year than Sweet Cherries, so they are less susceptible to late frosts
• Tart Cherries can tolerate more shade than Sweet Cherries
• Tart Cherries are less susceptible to pests and disease than Sweet Cherries
• Amarelle are Tart Cherries with lighter red fruit, light red juice, and light flesh
• Morello are Tart Cherries with dark red fruits, dark red juice, and dark red flesh
• Marasca cherries are a type of Morello Tart Cherry which were traditionally used to make Maraschino Liquer; modern Maraschino cherries are made with a number of cherry varieties which are bleached, dyed with red food coloring, and then soaked in sugar water and almond extract.
• Kriek Lambic is a style of open (wild) fermented Belgian beer that uses Tart Cherries for flavoring, traditionally instead of hops
• Common dwarfing rootstocks are Colt (12 feet/3.5 meters tall) and Gisela (6.5 feet/2 meters tall)

I love unexpected flavor combinations: Tart Cherries in Meatballs

recipe here on Healthy Jewish Cooking

http://healthyjewishcooking.com/2012/09/16/rosh-hashana-recipes-main-courses/

A more traditional Tart Cherry Recipe

Croatian Sour Cherry Strudel Recipe (Fil za Strudlu s Tresnjama ili Visnjama)

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/croatianserbiandesserts/r/sourcherrystrudel.htm

USING THIS PLANT

Primary Uses:

• Baking - pies, tarts, turnovers, etc.
• Cooking - used in savory dishes commonly with meats
• Preserves, jams, jellies, etc.
• Juice - often combined with other sweeter fruit juices or sweeteners (sugar, honey, etc.)
• Fresh eating – Many varieties can be eaten this way, but typically they are only eaten fresh when fully ripened on the tree. When not perfectly ripe... well, there is a reason they are named "tart".
• Dried
• Fruit Leather
• Flavoring component to beers, wines, and liquers

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
• Wildlife food source, especially birds (Summer)
• Specimen plant (i.e. decorative)
• Living Fence/Hedge plant
• Larger varieties may be coppiced for wood used in woodworking, fuel, etc. (will delay fruit production for a few years after each coppicing)
• Wood

 

Yield: 1-2 bushels/35-70 liters/50-100 lbs (22.5-45 kg) per tree

Harvesting: Summer (July-August). Pick when the fruit is ripe... when the fruit is in full color and the fruit stalk (stem connecting the fruit to the tree) separates easily from  the tree

Storage: Fresh Tart Cherries should be used within a few days. Tart Cherries typically freeze well.

Tart Cherries can be full sized or very dwarfed - will fit in any space.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHYt2WLme6Kea_03O3DO7OhyphenhyphenrkpexGnqRIahzY3Rn4JDcxMQmlORQlCe5GROLV5dJAub2XiFvIx3-HiV56HBI4C3RioAuF4xxJA2a5W10Hn-g2ezHJ3xFOX8kSWqXpJUeBXmdcT5QpnM/s1600/2011-08-03+at+17-43-53.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT

USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8

AHS Heat Zone: 8-1

Chill Requirement: 600-1,500 hours/units depending on the variety

Plant Type: Very Small to Medium Tree

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Forest Garden Use: Canopy Tree Layer, Sub-Canopy (Understory) Layer, Shrub Layer

Cultivars/Varieties: Many varieties available.

Pollination: Self-Fertile

Flowering: Spring. April-June depending on the variety and USDA Zone where it is planted

Life Span:

Years to Begin Bearing: 4-5 years,

Years to Maximum Bearing: 10-20 years

Years of Useful Life: 15-25

Tart Cherry trees can be stand alone specimen trees or incorporated into a Forest Garden.

http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/103/1/2/Prunus_cerasus_by_N_girl.jpg

 

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT

Size: Standard (full-sized trees): 15-30 feet (4.5-9 meters) tall and wide depending on the variety/cultivar, and most do not reach max height.
A variety of rootstocks are available that will produce Standard, Semi-Dwarfing (Semi-Vigorous), Dwarfing, and Bush types resulting in various sizes. Largest is probably the Kentish Red Cherry (Prunus cerasus caproniana) at 30 feet (9 meters) tall. Shortest is probably the Bush/Dwarf Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus frutescens) at 3 feet (1 meter) tall.

Roots: Fibrous, may sucker

Growth Rate: Medium

Beautiful flowers that attract beneficial insects... perfect!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Prunus_cerasus_LC0017.jpg

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT

Light: Prefers full sun

Shade: Tolerates moderate shade (needs at least a few hours of direct sun per day)

Moisture: Medium soil moisture

pH: most species prefer fairly neutral soil (6.1 - 7.0)

Special Considerations for Growing:

• Many edible cherries tolerate juglone (natural growth inhibitor produced by Black Walnut and its relatives). If not sure, then consider using other trees as a buffer between your walnuts and other plantings.
• Consider netting to protect fruit crop from the birds.

Propagation:
Usually grafted.  Seeds need at least 13-16 weeks cold stratification for germination and can take up to 18 months to germinate. Cuttings can be taken from Early Spring through Summer. Suckers can be divided in dormancy, but only consider this if the tree is not grafted.

Maintenance:

Minimal.  Prune out live wood for training as desired and dead or diseased wood in late Summer and Autumn - not when dormant.

Concerns:

Poisonous – Leaves and seeds contain a precursor to cyanide (large amounts need to be eaten for this to be toxic).

Permaculture Plants: Nanking Cherry

A bush cherry that can grow in most places... perfect!

http://i1.treklens.com/photos/9996/nanking_cherry.jpg

Common Name: Nanking Cherry
Other Names: Manchu Cherry, Chinese Dwarf or Bush Cherry, Downy Cherry, and many more.
Scientific Name: Prunus tomentosa
Family: Rosaceae (the Rose Family... includes all cherries, plums, peaches...)

The small, sweet cherries have soft hairs on them.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3210/3059035003_81b67bc4f0_z.jpg

Description:
Nanking Cherry is a medium to large, multi-stemmed shrub from China that produces small, shiny, red berries with a juicy, true cherry flavor – it is a true bush cherry. It can produce in almost any growing condition, tolerates some shade, is very resistant to diseases, tolerates drought, and because it is much smaller than a full cherry tree, it is easier to protect the tasty fruit from hungry birds.

Prunus tomentosa - M. Smith, 1908 (Curtis's Botanical Magazine, vol 134)

http://www.plantillustrations.org/ILLUSTRATIONS_HD/6919.jpg

History:

• A native to the central hills of Asia, Nanking Cherry has been cultivated for centuries.
• Introduced to Britain in 1870 and to the U.S. in 1892.

Trivia:

• Nanking Cherry fruit is usually bright red, but pink and almost white fruited plants exist.
• Nanking Cherries do not reproduce true to type… meaning that each fruit contains a seed that will grow into a shrub that resembles the parents, but may be shorter, taller, wider, thinner, and produce fruit that may taste better or worse or ripen to a different shade of pink to red.

Lee Reich (gardening author) showing how easy it is to harvest Nanking Cherries.

http://georgeweigel.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/reich.picking.nanking.cherries.jpg

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Fresh eating
• Fruit juice
• Dried
• Fruit Leather
• Preserves, jams, jellies, etc.
• Baking – pies, tarts, etc (need to be pitted first)
• Cooking – great for making sweet/savory sauces
• Alcohol – primary or as flavor addition to beers, wines, cordials, liquors, etc.
• Vinegar – primary or as flavor addition
• Pickled - unripe fruits
• One report of flower buds being edible after cooking

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
• Food source for wildlife (especially birds) in Summer
• Windbreak hedgerows
• Beautiful, fragrant flowers (pink buds and white petals) in the Spring
• Dark grey-green dye from fruit
• Some, but not many, medicinal uses have been reported

Yield: 12-15 lbs per bush


Harvesting: Late Summer (July-August). Fruit is about half an inch (1.2 cm) in diameter. Pick when the fruit is fully colored and juicy. Remember there is a pit (seed) in the center.


Storage: Fresh fruit does not store well and is best eaten fresh – within a day. The fruit’s stem stays on the shrub leaving a hole in the top of the fruit allowing juice to leak out… which it will readily do. Can be dried after pitting.

Beautiful, fragrant flowers that attract beneficial insects are just one great thing about this plant.

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p198/jlhamann/new%20album/CherryBushSmall.jpg

The pink blossoms turn to brilliant white as they mature.

http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1023/4723435212_80ec21c283_z.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-7
AHS Heat Zone: 7-1 (very heat and cold tolerant)
Chill Requirement: Likely, but no reliable data can be found as to the specifics

Plant Type: Medium to Large Shrub
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Shrub Layer
Cultivars/Varieties: There used to be a large number of named varieties, but many have slowly been lost over the last 100 years. Mostly non-named seedlings and a few named varieties are available.

Pollination: Partially Self-Pollinating/Self-Fertile – will produce better (more and larger fruit) when planted with other varieties of Nanking Cherries

Flowering: Spring (April-June). I’ve seen conflicting statements about Nanking Cherry’s susceptibility to late-spring frosts. Both sources are very reliable, so I can only assume that different plants exhibit different traits.

Life Span:
Years to Begin Bearing: 1-3 years
Years to Maximum Bearing: 2-4 years
Years Between Large Crops: 1-2 years
Years of Useful Life: 15 years

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 5-10 feet (1.5-3 meters) tall and wide
Roots: Fibrous tap root, medium depth, may produce suckers
Growth Rate: Medium

The summer leaves of the Nanking Cherry are rather non-descript...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmgaOAmbG15Q-_xeJaf3NqwMPeACv2h4Eb_AvWpZoIO6EJEa69sbjjzmWEnam_dk5X5M_PGXTeRcJGrwHNQ9eVTSOfv7tDiScphkrZkXh57jTAbUH3jfHTO_K5jZRfrNqoT-XcrYWdpfM/s1600/NankingonBush.JPG

...but the Spring flowers and almost black branches in Winter make this an attractive plant.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_wlGENYr4PfMwn6L8OJt04-jYyFnz1Ch4A64sMIjBycmQmyRxhPPeZLS5Fwf3F19YDCHs6K2vjqy3ZO0By8raJDk8abR_QdUqSfWrWa8SXD6sPLwbl7bnIGSuPMS2mzZXK2tFUw9atjV5/s1600/DSCN1255.JPG

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates light shade, reports exist of Nanking Cherry still being productive in deep shade
Moisture: Medium, but can tolerate some droughts
pH: most species prefer fairly neutral soil (6.1 - 7.0)

Special Considerations for Growing: 
Does not tolerate juglone (natural growth inhibitor produced by Black Walnut). Do not plant near Black Walnut or its relatives.

Propagation: Almost exclusively from seed. Seeds require 2-3 months cold stratification for germination. Can be propagated through cuttings. Can be propagated through layering in the Spring.

Maintenance:
Minimal. Can prune in the center for good air flow and light penetration, but it is not needed. Some plants can develop “branch dieback” which is either a fungal or bacterial infection. Some growers will cut out diseased branches, but it will rarely kill the whole plant. If the plant seems to producing less than in years previous, a severe pruning (up to cutting back to the ground) may trigger a quick and productive rejuvenation.

Concerns:
Poisonous – Leaves and seeds contain a precursor to cyanide (large amounts need to be eaten for this to be toxic).

Ribs with Maple Whisky and Nanking Cherry Barbecue Sauce

here's the recipe: http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2011/08/16/grilled-ribs-nanking-cherry-recipe/

Permaculture Plants: Black Cherry Tree

Good things come in small packages!

http://nathanrupley.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/101.jpg

Common Name: Black Cherry, Wild Cherry, Mountain Cherry, Rum Cherry
Scientific Name: Prunus serotina
Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)

Description:
The Black Cherry Tree is a tree native to eastern and southern North America and is most widely known as a timber tree with its hard, strong, close-grained wood.  However, it is commonly used for for the flavor of its small (less than 1 cm), dark purple-black berries produced on long, fragrant racemes (a shoot with dozens of flowers) that will then develop dozens of fruit.  The trees have characteristic bark, smooth and horizontally striped when young and fissured and scaly when over ten years of age.

When I lived in Kentucky, we lived on the edge of a farm field.  The edge was full of Black Walnut and Black Cherry Trees.  One summer I went out and collected a few pounds of black cherries and made black cherry jam.  I had never made preserves of any sort, and in fact this was one of my first activities in the realm of "homesteading".  The jam turned out great, and I have been a huge fan of Black Cherry Trees ever since.

Illustration of the Black Cherry by Charles Sprague Sargent

http://0.tqn.com/d/forestry/1/0/l/H/bcherry.jpg

History:
Almost ignored by cultivators of fruit trees, the Black Cherry Tree has minimal written history.  It was used by Native Americans as a food source (a key ingredient in pemmican, a mixture of dried fruit, fat, and meat, and eaten on trips and in winter) and as a medicinal plant used to treat a number of respiratory and gastrointestinal issues.  The short storage and absence of super sweet flesh of the fresh fruit, combined with the poisonous seeds and leaves, have likely been to blame for this tree being largely overlooked by plant developers.

Trivia:

• The oldest documented Black Cherry tree is in the U.S. and was 258 years old.
• Black Cherry Trees are host to a large variety of caterpillars.
• It has been very invasive in Europe where it was used as an ornamental and unique fruit tree.
• Cherry Bounce is a liqueur of cherries steeped in brandy, rum, or whiskey, and it was a popular drink in the Colonial United States.  In fact, we still have a recipe from Martha Washington, the first First Lady:  “Extract the Juice of 20 pounds of well ripend Morrella Cherrys Add to this 10 quarts of Old French brandy and sweeten it with White Sugar to your taste—To 5 Gallons of this mixture add one ounce of Spice Such as Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmegs of each an Equal quantity Slightly bruis’d and a pint and half of Cherry kernels that have been gently broken in a mortar—After the liquor has fermented let it Stand Close-Stoped for a month or Six weeks—then bottle it remembering to put a lump of Loaf Sugar into each bottle.”

Making some modern-day Cherry Bounce - they are cheating and using store bought cherries!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3060/5875066957_2c3f37267c.jpg

USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:

• Timber, especially fine woodworking, furniture, and cabinetry
• Fresh fruit - rarely!  Typically the fruit is bitter and astringent (very "dry" in flavor) but can have a bit of sweetness to it
• Jams
• Pies
• Liqueurs and Wines
• Flavoring for rum, brandy, or whiskey to make "cherry bounce"
• Flavoring for sodas and ice creams 

Secondary Uses:

• General insect (especially bees) nectar plant
• Food source for birds and mammals
• Fuel (firewood)
• Smoking wood (for flavor of smoked foods)
• Can be coppiced
• In the Appalachians, the bark was used as a cough remedy and sedative

Yield: Good crops occur every 1-5 years.  No definitive quantities are defined.
Harvesting: Late summer/early autumn (June-October)
Storage: Fresh berries do not last long.  Ideally use within a day or two after harvesting

The beautiful and fragrant racemes covered with dozens of flowers.

http://www.wnmu.edu/academic/nspages/gilaflora/p_serotina1.jpg

The leaves of the black cherry tree are glossy and lightly toothed.

http://www2.pittstate.edu/herbarium/woody/Prunus_serotina_BlackCherry_leaves.jpg

DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Chill Requirement: Required, but the number of hours is not documented (or easily found!)

Plant Type: Medium to Large Tree
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Canopy Tree
Cultivars/Varieties: Minimally improved; few cultivars available

Pollination: Self-Pollinating/Self-Fertile
Flowering: Late spring/early summer (May-July depending on where it is planted

Life Span:
Years to Begin Bearing: 10 years,
Years to Maximum Bearing: 30+ years, but decent crops can be had on 10 year old trees
Years of Useful Life: 100+ years, but some individuals can live to over twice that age

Characteristic horizontal stripes of young Black Cherry Trees

http://treehaven.org/garden-conversations/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/101016-1-Cherry-branches-400x300.jpg

The older, more scaly bark of a mature Black Cherry Tree

http://s3.hubimg.com/u/4979942_f496.jpg

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 50-100 feet (15-30 meters) tall and half as wide
Roots: Shallow and spreading
Growth Rate: Fast

Beautiful orange and yellow of Black Cherry leaves in autumn.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvT2X8tJIsvo2vL69NvEvkJLVYplVj59b1TnZGaWC_fcbhyphenhyphenH3Kk-mQTerfaO1KWu6KzXd63YNatyTvCvpehqd9hf2LG10oH0fRx3WwlRsmUqoNvOq_71arRZ4b-Sq0RpdZTpQ4dWhiNX8/s400/Prunus+serotina.jpg

GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Tolerates very light shade if at all
Moisture: Medium
pH: acidic to neutral soil (4.0 - 7.5)

Special Considerations for Growing: 
Although minimal scientific studies, Black Cherry likely tolerates juglone (natural growth inhibitor produced by Black Walnut and its relatives) as it is often seen growing in close proximity.  Consider using this tree as a buffer between your walnuts and other plantings.

Propagation:  By seed.  Requires cold stratification for 3-4 months.  Can be propagated by cuttings.

Maintenance:
Minimal.

Concerns:

• Poisonous – Leaves and seeds contain a precursor to cyanide (large amounts need to be eaten for this to be toxic).
• Can spread rather easily by seeds.  Seeds can live for 1-3 years before germinating waiting for optimal conditions.
• Black Cherry Trees are a natural host for the Eastern Tent Caterpillar and Cherry Scallop Shell Moth which can defoliate trees quickly.  This can be deadly for young trees, but is usually rarely significant with established, older trees.
• The fungal disease "black knot" is common, but not significantly harmful on established trees 
• Can be susceptible to wind damage, especially with its shallow roots

Chromolithograph of Cerasus serotina (older scientific name for Black Cherry, Prunus serotina) by F. de Tollenaere & P. Vervoort in Jacques douard Morren, ed.

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