Black Cherry features showy racemes of fragrant white flowers hanging below the branches in mid spring. The dark red fruits with black overtones are held in abundance in spectacular clusters from mid to late summer. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The narrow leaves turn an outstanding orange in the fall.
This plant is primarily grown as an ornamental, but it's also valued for its edible qualities. The small round bitter fruit is most often used in the following ways:
Black Cherry is a deciduous tree with a shapely oval form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
Black Cherry will grow to be about 50 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn't require a second plant nearby to set fruit.
This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is native to parts of North America.
