Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

Also Known As: Black chokecherry, Red chokecherry, California chokecherry, Virginia chokecherry
Plant Family: Rose (Rosaceae)

Identification Guide: *Print version
Phenophase Field Guide: *Print version

2010 Live Map - View

Did you Know? Chokecherry was first cultivated in North America as an orchard crop in the early 1700’s. It provided a staple for Native American tribes. Prussic (hydrocyanic) acid is found in the bark, leaves, and pits of chokecherry and there are numerous reports of cattle dying after eating these parts of the plant. The acid in chokecherry pits is neutralized by boiling or drying. The bark is used as a tea. The fruit is used to make jellies and jams. It has been used for a variety of medicinal purposes, including relief of diarrhea and sore throat.

Identification Hints: Chokecherry is distinctive in having flowers attached on stems forming long racemes. Most other cherries have flowers in short rounded clusters. In the Great Plains to the east black cherry (Prunus serotina) is similar in appearance. It can be a much larger tree up to 25 meter (80 feet) tall, and has sepals which persist with the fruits, has narrow leaves, and usually has brown to whitish hairs along the midrib on the lower side of the leaf.

Phenological Observations of Interest: First Leaf, All Leaves Unfolded, First Flower, Full Flower, End of Flowering, First Ripe Fruit, 50% Color, 50% Leaf Fall

---

2010 Live Map for Chokecherry

Below you can view the latest 100 observations that have been reported in 2010 for Chokecherry (If the map below is empty then there have not been any 2010 observations reported.)

Use the navigation buttons on the left to zoom in/out and pan around. Click on each place marker to get detail information about that observation.

= First Leaf
= All Leaves Unfolded
= First Flower
= Full Flower
= End of Flowering
= First Ripe Fruit
= 50% Color
= 50% Leaf Fall

--Back to Top--

*All downloadable materials require the free Adobe Reader.