Black Cherry

Bark

Young, wild black cherry trees will have smooth, purple-brown bark. An adult wild cherry tree will have brown to black bark, which is cracked with thick lines running through it. The inner bark is a dark red color.
Leaves

The leaves of a black cherry are 2-5 inches long and lacking ridges. The lines running through the leaves should be mostly straight and not overly curly, in which case it could be a buckthorn tree. The leaves will be dark green, except in fall when they are orange or yellow, and the edges of the leaves will be mostly smooth.
Fruit

The fruit of cherry trees grow in a dense cluster and each cherry contains only one seed. They start out as a light orange color and darken into a black-red as they ripen. The fruit ripens in August and is pea-sized with a single pit inside. In spring, they are identifiable by the small, whitish-pink flowers that grow in bunches on the tree. The flowers produce an unpleasant smell, but are lovely to look at.

Commercial Value:

We rate cherry as a second class tree based on its current demand in markets. Although, the prices for cherry is on the rise as it is growing in popularity once again. Cherry a beautiful wood that is commonly used to make furniture and wood flooring. Black cherry lumber has been in high demand for the past century.

Benefit to Forest:

Black cherry trees native to Indiana produce a red-black fruit that is a natural food source for wildlife. Often, cherry trees will be filled with birds. Small mammals such as raccoons, white-footed mice, and foxes feed on the fruit that falls to the ground. White-tailed deer, moose and cottontails will browse the tree, eating the bark.

Pin Cherry

Pin cherries are a similar species that you may also find in your woods. The pin cherry leaves have a more rounded end and more ridges down the leaf. It is much more supple and softer than a black cherry leaf. The ripened fruit stays red and the bark is a smooth, coppery color. Furthermore, the young bark is very shiny with small, horizontal strips of lenticels. Mature bark looses its sheen but stays smoother without the typical deep bark grooves.

Black Cherry

Bark

Leaves

Fruit

Commercial Value:

Benefit to Forest:

Pin Cherry

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