So, if you have pets, then you should take this into account. First, its foliage, seeds, and twigs are toxic to many animals. When considering planting a chokecherry shrub or tree, there are a few factors to consider. Apart from the shrub’s beautiful foliage and flowers, the abundant berries it produces in late summer and fall is another reason to plant a chokecherry tree. The appealing rounded crown, green leafy foliage, white spring flowers, and dark berries give the tree plenty of appeal as a specimen tree or lawn tree.Īs a suckering shrub, chokecherry is suitable as a flowering hedge, privacy screen, or windbreak. The chokecherry tree is an attractive landscape tree suitable for growing in front or backyards. After pollination, the flowers develop into tart, dark edible drupes that are delicious when used in sauces, preserves, and jellies. Like the regular chokecherry tree, the Canada red variety has clusters of small white showy flowers that blossom in spring. The tree’s arching branches grow into an attractive rounded canopy that reaches 25 to 30 ft. The Canada red chokecherry is an ornamental tree or shrub with spectacular reddish-purple foliage. In summer, chokecherry shrubs are identified by clusters of red or purple pea-sized fruits. Also, look for cylindrical clusters of white spring flowers. Chokecherry trees are recognizable by their dark green, ovate leaves with finely serrated margins and pointed tips. Identify a chokecherry tree by the leaves, flowers, and fruit. However, the fleshy part of chokecherries is not toxic, and you can safely eat the juicy fruits without the stones. Eaten in large quantities, the seeds can be fatal. Ingesting chokecherry seeds, leaves, stems, and bark releases hydrocyanic acid, known as cyanide. Most parts of the chokecherry tree are poisonous to humans and animals. The best way to use chokecherry seeds is to harvest them then use them to plant new trees the following spring. It’s vital to note that chokecherry seeds contain toxins and shouldn’t be eaten. The round seed can be up to half of the drupe’s volume. Chokecherry SeedsĮach chokecherry drupe contains a relatively large seed. Although ripened chokecherries still have an astringent taste, many people like eating fresh “berries” straight off the tree. However, you can recognize ripe chokecherries by their dark color when ready to eat. Red chokecherries tend to be too tart and bitter to eat. In summer, it’s easy to identify chokecherry shrubs by the clusters of red or purple “berries.” Also called chokecherries, the red berries ripen to dark purple in late summer. Are Chokecherries Edible?Ĭhokecherry tree fruit is recognizable as bunches of small, pea-sized reddish-purple berry-like drupes measuring 0.2” to 0.4” (0.5 – 1 cm). Although they sound similar, chokeberries belong to a different genus, and their fruits are pomes, not drupes. It’s also good not to confuse chokecherry ( Prunus virginiana) with another shrub that produces tart fruits-chokeberry ( Aronia). Prunus virginiana also goes by the names Virginia bird cherry, bitter-berry, American chokecherry, and black chokecherry. The common name chokecherry comes from the bitter taste of the drupes. However, when established, chokecherry is tolerant of drought. For best results, the chokecherry should be planted in slightly moist or dry well-drained soil. #Cyberpunkers purple tree fullThe attractive flowering plant grows best in full sun or part shade. In a landscape, the sizeable suckering shrub has an oval, rounded crown that is somewhat irregular.Īs a cold-hardy shrub or tree, the chokecherry thrives in USDA zones 2 through 10. However, it’s not unusual for some chokecherry trees to reach 30 ft. Typically, a chokecherry shrub grows between 3 and 20 ft. However, the chokecherry fruits, leaves, and plant size are somewhat smaller. Chokecherry trees are closely related to the North American black cherry ( Prunus serotina). The chokecherry belongs to the genus Prunus which has other trees and shrubs that produce drupes. Chokecherry trees are known for their tart, bitter, berry-like drupes and are used to make jams and jellies. The fruit-bearing trees or shrubs are common throughout the northern states of the US and Canada. Chokecherry tree ( Prunus virginiana) is a suckering shrub-like treeĬhokecherry ( Prunus virginiana) is a small perennial tree or multi-stemmed shrub that sends up suckers.
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