Cherry Trees

A shrub or small tree, up to 9 metres tall; straight, slender trunk, extending up to the narrow crown.

Leaves

Small, oval-shaped leaves, tapered towards the tip; 2 to 8 centimetres long, yellowish-green, thin, with uneven-sized teeth on the edges.

Flowers

Small, white flowers in loose clusters of 5 to 12.

Fruit

Dark red, with a juicy but bitter flesh, 5 to 12 millimetres across.

Bark

Greyish or reddish, peeling horizontally like paper birch; large, widely spaced, orange horizontal slits (called lenticels); bitter tasting.

Where to find bitter cherry

It occurs throughout southern British Columbia, except for the dry Interior portions.

Habitat

Bitter cherry is common in moist deciduous forests and open woods, along streams and on recently disturbed areas. It prefers moist, nutrient-rich sites.

Uses

Aboriginal people ate the fruit of the bitter cherry only occasionally because of its unpleasant taste. Because the bark is tough and waterproof, they peeled it off in long horizontal or spiral strips and used it for basket-making. They also softened it by pounding to make twine for baskets and mats and for tying together joints in house-building.

Notes

Prunus is Latin for plum.