Prunus avium

Prunus avium, commonly known as the wild cherry, sweet cherry, or gean, is a species of cherry native to Europe, western Turkey, northwestern Africa, and western Asia. It belongs to the family Rosaceae and is classified under the genus Prunus.

Description

Prunus avium is a deciduous tree growing to 15–32 m (49–105 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in diameter. The leaves are 7–14 cm long with a serrated margin, with two to three small glands on the petiole. The flowers are produced in clusters of two to six together on bare stems before the leaves in late winter and early spring. The fruit is a drupe 1–2 cm in diameter (larger in some cultivated selections), bright red to dark purple when mature in midsummer.

Cultivation and uses

Prunus avium is widely cultivated for its fruit and wood. Its fruit is a popular raw fruit in the commercial market. The wood is valued for its strong, hard, and close-grained properties, which make it useful in the manufacture of furniture, tool handles, and musical instruments.

Ecology

Prunus avium is a food source for a variety of wildlife, including birds and mammals, which eat the fruit and disperse the seeds in their droppings. The tree is also a host for the larvae of several species of Lepidoptera.

Cultivars

There are many cultivars of Prunus avium, developed for their fruit quality, tree form, and resistance to disease. Some of the most popular include 'Bing', 'Brooks', 'Tulare', 'King', 'Rainier', and 'Sweetheart'.

See also

• Prunus
• Cherry
• Rosaceae