Black cherryis a beautifully flowering and useful plant with edible fruit common in Poland. We present the most popularspecies of bird cherry , such as bird cherry, black cherry, and black cherry, as well as their beautiful varieties recommended for planting in gardens. Get to knowhealing properties of bird cherry , its use in horticulture and cultivation requirements.
African bird cherry - fruits
Fig. depositphotos.com
Bird cherry - properties and application
The genus of bird cherry(Padus) includes about 20 species occurring mainly in Europe, Asia and America. The bird cherry, formerly treated as a separate plant genus, is now recognized as a subgenus within the genus Prunus.
These decorative plants can take the form of trees or large shrubs up to 10 meters tall. In addition to ornamental applications, thanks to their low soil requirements, resistance to pollution and fast propagation,black cherry trees are usedin the reclamation of post-industrial areas. In our country, the most common are:
- bird cherry(Prunus padus, syn. Padus avium),
- black cherry(Prunus serotina),
- virginian bird cherry(Prunus virginiana).
Before discussing the use and properties of the bird cherry, it is worth clarifyingwhether the fruits of the bird cherry are edible , or maybe poisonous, as some say.Well, like the seeds of popular apricots, peaches and cherries, also black cherry seeds contain amygdalin - a cyanogenic compound from which hydrogen cyanide is released. However, it is enough to get rid of the seeds and the fruit can be safely eaten even raw. Expressive in taste, bittersweetbird cherry fruits have been usedfor making jams, preserves or tinctures.
It is worth appreciatinghealing properties of bird cherryIts fruits contain a number of substances valuable for he alth, such as vitamin C, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, anthocyanins, flannovonoids, carotenoids, rutin and fiber.
Thanks to the high content of pectins , bird cherry fruits are usedin food poisoning or diarrhea. They support the work of the liver, have antibacterial, astringent, antifungal properties and soothe menstrual pain. They prevent a number of civilization diseases, such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and stroke.
Bird cherry - Prunus padus
Fig. depositphotos.com
Aleother parts of this plant also have medicinal uses.Black cherry fruit extract, bark or flower infusion have anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, antitussive, sedative and diuretic effects. Thanks to volatile compounds of glycosides in folk medicinebird cherry leaves is an effective remedy against insect bites
Besides its he alth benefits,bird cherry can be used as an ornamental plant , although you should choose the position wisely, because it produces numerous root suckers. Low varieties of bird cherry are suitable for rows and informal hedges. Due to their impressive habit, bird cherry looks good when planted individually as solitary plants.
Bird cherry during flowering
Fig. depositphotos.com
Bird cherry - species and varieties
Black bird cherry(Prunus padus) - also known under other folk names - the black cherry, the trout or the black cherry is the most popular type of bird cherry in Poland.It is found all over Europe, as well as in Asia Minor and Western Siberia. In Poland, it can often be found in its natural state in humid forests on the banks of rivers, lakes or other water reservoirs.
The dark bark and large, elliptical and fine-grainedblack cherry leavesgive off a specific insect repellent smell. At the turn of May and April, white, strongly fragrant flowers appear, gathered in abundant clusters, which arethe greatest decoration of the bird cherryAfter flowering, the bird cherry produces small, spherical, dark fruits, which are a source of food for many species of birds and animals. Thanks to the properties of the roots for water uptake and the rapid transpiration of water through the leaves,black cherry is used to drain wetlands
Decorative varieties of bird cherry
Bird cherry 'Albertii'- an egg-shaped variety, reaching a height of 8-10 m. Blooms profusely in April and May. The white flowers are collected in dangling clusters up to 18 cm long. Especially suitable for small gardens, streets, parks and public gardens.
Bird cherry 'Colorata'- an interesting variety of bird cherry with pink, beautifully fragrant flowers. It grows up to 10 m in height.
Bird cherry 'Colorata'
Fig. depositphotos.com
Bird cherry 'Plena'- reaches a height of 7-14 m. Dark green leaves turn orange and red in autumn. The variety has beautiful, large, full flowers with a strong, honey-like scent that attracts insects.
Bird cherry 'Watereri'- a variety with a loose crown and leaves that turn yellow and orange in autumn.
Bird cherry 'Nana'- creates a spherical, dense and very regular crown. Reaches a height of 3-4 m. Leaves up to 8 cm long, dark green, serrate at the edge, turning orange in autumn. It can be grafted onto a stump and used as a street tree like another variety called 'Red Ball'.
American bird cherry - Prunus serotina
Fig. depositphotos.com
Black cherryPrunus serotina - it is also called late bird cherry because of the fruiting period at the turn of September and October. It comes from North America. In Poland, it can be found all over the country. It grows rapidly and by spreading it displaces native species, thus disturbing the habitat ecosystem. It grows up to 25-30 m in height. Its leaves are pointed, finely serrated, glossy and dark green on the outside, and light green on the underside. In autumn they turn yellow or coppery. The clusters are smaller than those of the bird cherry and raised.Black cherry fruits are larger and sweeterthan other species.
American bird cherry - Prunus serotina
Fig. depositphotos.com
American bird cherry 'Żółwin'- this is an interesting Polish variety. Its very sweet fruits appear late, in September, and stay on the tree until October. The wrinkled taste resembles raisins.
Black cherry(Prunus virginiana) - is a North American species in its natural position which is a tree or a large deciduous shrub, reaching from 3 to 10 m in height. Usually it creates a few short, uneven trunks, from which branches grow from below. Its fruits do not contain too much amygdalin and therefore there is no risk of hydrogen cyanide formation, so they can be eaten without any worries without heat treatment. In Poland, like the American bird cherry, it is an invasive species. There are two varieties of this species of bird cherry:
Black cherry 'Lee'- this is a strongly growing variety with yellow fruits ripening in the second half of July. They are suitable for preserves.
Black cherry 'Shubert'- this is a small tree with a loose crown and nice leaves that change color to cherry-purple.
Black cherry - Prunus virginiana
Fig. Nadiatalent, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Bird cherry - cultivation
All speciesbird cherry trees are undemanding and easy to growThey prefer fertile, humus, moderately moist soils and sunny and semi-shaded positions, but they can also adapt to worse conditions. They withstand drought and periodic flooding well and are completely frost-resistant. The most popular bird cherry in Poland belongs to the plant frost resistance zone 3, the American bird cherry - to the zone 4, and the black cherry - to the zone 5A. Therefore, all of them can be planted throughout Poland.
Bird cherry - cut
In order for the bird cherry to maintain the desired shape and shape, it requires regular cutting and shaping. It is all the more necessary as the plant grows strongly each year both in height and in width.
The main cutting of the bird cherry is made in the leafless period.Ideally at the end of winter, when there are no more frosts. Dead, withered and damaged branches are cut out completely, shoots growing vertically upwards, branches crossing each other are also cut out, and the crown is radiated if it is excessively thickened. When cutting hard, be careful to maintain the symmetry of the plant.
We perform the second cut of the bird cherry in the growing season. Thispruning of the bird cherry is best done right after flowering , before budding for next year. Typically, this cutting date will be at the end of spring or the beginning of summer, depending on the bird cherry species and the climatic conditions. Unplanned seedlings growing nearby should be removed before their roots have developed.
Bird cherry - reproduction
In the case of pure plantsthe reproduction of bird cherryis made from seeds which are sown in cold frames.Following winter stratification in spring, the seeds will germinate and produce seedlings which are transplanted in the fall. An easy and possible method of reproducing bird cherry in amateur conditions is the preparation of cuttings from the produced suckers. When the plants from the outgrowths appear above the ground, slightly undermine them, lift them up and cut them off with a spade from the root of the mother plant.Decorative varieties of bird cherry are propagatedby grafting on rootstocks.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
