Prunus virginiana facts for kids

Chokecherries (scientific name: Prunus virginiana) are interesting plants. They are also known as the bitter-berry or Virginia bird cherry. These plants can be a bush or a small tree. They usually grow up to about 4.9 meters (16 feet) tall.

Chokecherry leaves are shaped like ovals. They have rough, sharp edges. Their flowers grow in long bunches, about 38 to 76 centimeters (15 to 30 inches) long. These flowers appear in late spring, after the leaves have already grown.

The fruits of the chokecherry are small, about 1 centimeter (3⁄8 inch) across. They can be bright red or even black. When you taste them, they can be quite sour and a bit bitter. This is why they are called "chokecherries"! But when they are very ripe and dark, they become much sweeter. These fruits are actually a type of fruit called a drupe, not a true berry.

What Chokecherries Look Like

Chokecherry plants are easy to spot. They can be a tall bush or a small tree. Their bark is usually smooth and dark.

Leaves, Flowers, and Fruits

The leaves are oval-shaped. They have tiny teeth along their edges. In the autumn, their leaves can turn beautiful shades of red and orange.

Chokecherry flowers are small and white. They grow in long, hanging clusters. These clusters can be quite pretty when the plant is in bloom.

The fruits are round and small. They look like tiny cherries. They start out red and turn darker as they ripen. The riper they are, the less "choke-y" they taste!

Images for kids

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  Autumn foliage

See also

In Spanish: Cerezo de Virginia para niños