Bird cherry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bird cherry |
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Prunus
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| Species: |
pensylvanica
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The pin cherry (also known as bird cherry, fire cherry, or red cherry) is a type of cherry tree. It grows naturally in North America. Its scientific name is Prunus pensylvanica.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The pin cherry grows as a shrub or a small tree. It usually has a straight trunk and a narrow, rounded top. These trees can grow from about 16 to 50 feet (5 to 15 meters) tall. Their trunks can be 4 to 20 inches (10 to 51 cm) wide. Some very tall pin cherries, up to 98 feet (30 meters) tall, have been found in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
The leaves of the pin cherry are thin. They are about 1.5 to 4.5 inches (4 to 11 cm) long. They are also about 0.5 to 1.75 inches (1 to 4.5 cm) wide.
Flowers and Fruit
Pin cherry flowers grow in small groups of five to seven. Each flower is about 0.4 inches (1 cm) across. The fruit of the pin cherry is a type of drupe. This means it has a fleshy outside with a hard "stone" inside. The fruit is small, about 0.15 to 0.3 inches (4 to 8 mm) wide. Each fruit has one seed inside its hard stone. The seed is about 0.15 to 0.2 inches (4 to 6 mm) across.
Where Does It Grow?
The pin cherry is found across a large part of Canada. It grows from Newfoundland and southern Labrador all the way to British Columbia. It also grows in the southern Northwest Territories.
In the United States, it is very common in New England and the Great Lakes region. You can also find it in the Appalachian Mountains. It grows as far south as northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee. Some pin cherry trees also grow in the Rocky Mountains, reaching south into Colorado. They are also found in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
How Does It Live and Grow?
The pin cherry can grow in two main ways. It can grow from seeds, or it can sprout from its roots. Its flowers have both male and female parts. Insects help to pollinate the flowers. Birds, small mammals, and even gravity help spread the seeds.
Seed Banks
One special thing about pin cherry seeds is that they can stay alive in the soil for many years. These hidden seeds are like a "seed bank" in the ground. They can wait for 50 to 100 years before they sprout! This helps the species survive. The tree can also grow new plants by sending up sprouts from its roots. This often forms thick groups of pin cherry plants.
Lifespan and Food Source
Pin cherry trees do not live very long. They usually live only 20 to 40 years. They grow very quickly when they are young. Their roots are shallow and tend to spread out sideways.
These trees are an important food source for many animals. For example, moose eat the branches of pin cherry trees in the winter. This happens in the Great Lakes states and the boreal forest areas.
Surviving Fires
Even though individual pin cherry plants can be killed by fire, the species has a clever way to survive. Their seeds in the soil are protected from the worst heat. After a fire or other disturbance, the seeds that have been sleeping for years will quickly sprout. They are helped by the nutrients from the ash left behind. This, along with how fast the seedlings grow, helps pin cherry groups take over areas that have burned. This is especially true in northern hardwood forests.
Many types of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) also eat pin cherry plants. You can find more information on the List of Lepidoptera which feed on Prunus.
How Do People Use It?
Food
Today, the pin cherry does not have much commercial value. However, some people are becoming interested in growing pin cherry fruit to sell. The fruit is safe to eat. It can be used to make jams, jellies, and preserves.
Wood
The wood from the pin cherry is light and somewhat soft. It is not very strong. Because of this, it is not often used for lumber. It is usually not considered a tree that people grow for wood.
However, pin cherry trees grow in many places and produce a lot of plant material quickly. This means they could be useful for making wood chips or fuel.
Images for kids
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A close-up of a pin cherry blossom.
