Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild cherry or wild rum cherry, is native to eastern North America, Mexico and Central America. It is a medium-sized, fast-growing tree. The flowers are white, in racemes 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long which contain several dozen flowers. The flowers give rise to reddish-black "berries". Edible raw, the fruit is also made into jelly, and the juice can be used as a drink mixer, hence the common name 'rum cherry'.

Type: Hardy fruit tree

Hardiness zones: 4-8

Height: 15–24m (49–79 feet)

Location: Sun

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.