CHOKE CHERRY
Prunus virginiana
SKU: 2019-003
Description
Prunus virginiana, commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry, and western chokecherry, is native to North America.
Chokecherry is a shrub or small tree growing to 1–6 metres (3 feet 3 inches – 19 feet 8 inches) tall, with a trunk as thick as 30 centimetres (12 in). The flowers are produced in late spring.
The fruits (drupes) are about 6–14 mm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) in diameter, range in color from bright red to black, and possess a very astringent taste, being both somewhat sour and somewhat bitter. They get darker and marginally sweeter as they ripen. They each contain a large stone.
Chokecherries are very high in antioxidant pigment compounds, such as anthocyanins.
The natural historic range of P. virginiana includes most of Canada (including Northwest Territories, but excluding Yukon, Nunavut, and Labrador), most of the United States (including Alaska, but excluding some states in the Southeast), and northern Mexico.
Many wildlife, including birds and game animals, eat the berries. Moose, elk, mountain sheep, deer and rabbits eat the foliage, twigs, leaves, and buds. Deer and elk sometimes browse the twigs. The leaves serve as food for caterpillars of various Lepidoptera.
Type: Hardy tree
Hardiness zones: 2-7, possibly as low as zone 0.
Note: The seeds and leaves of prunus contain poisons.
Germination: These seeds need a pretreatment. Plant the seeds just below the surface of the soil, and keep then in a warm location with temperatures of 20 Celsius (68F) for 2-3 weeks. Be sure the soil stays lightly moist. Next they require a cold period to break the final part of the dormancy. Place the pot in a bag and place in the fridge at (4 Celsius or 39F) for 60 days. They may sprout while in the fridge, or else they can germinate within the next few weeks afterwards.
Description
Prunus virginiana, commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry, and western chokecherry, is native to North America.
Chokecherry is a shrub or small tree growing to 1–6 metres (3 feet 3 inches – 19 feet 8 inches) tall, with a trunk as thick as 30 centimetres (12 in). The flowers are produced in late spring.
The fruits (drupes) are about 6–14 mm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) in diameter, range in color from bright red to black, and possess a very astringent taste, being both somewhat sour and somewhat bitter. They get darker and marginally sweeter as they ripen. They each contain a large stone.
Chokecherries are very high in antioxidant pigment compounds, such as anthocyanins.
The natural historic range of P. virginiana includes most of Canada (including Northwest Territories, but excluding Yukon, Nunavut, and Labrador), most of the United States (including Alaska, but excluding some states in the Southeast), and northern Mexico.
Many wildlife, including birds and game animals, eat the berries. Moose, elk, mountain sheep, deer and rabbits eat the foliage, twigs, leaves, and buds. Deer and elk sometimes browse the twigs. The leaves serve as food for caterpillars of various Lepidoptera.
Type: Hardy tree
Hardiness zones: 2-7, possibly as low as zone 0.
Note: The seeds and leaves of prunus contain poisons.
Germination: These seeds need a pretreatment. Plant the seeds just below the surface of the soil, and keep then in a warm location with temperatures of 20 Celsius (68F) for 2-3 weeks. Be sure the soil stays lightly moist. Next they require a cold period to break the final part of the dormancy. Place the pot in a bag and place in the fridge at (4 Celsius or 39F) for 60 days. They may sprout while in the fridge, or else they can germinate within the next few weeks afterwards.
