Click on the images help you identify an Black cherry.
Form
Height 30' to 60', diameter up to 24"; in the forest has a long clear trunk with little tapering; in the open, trunk is short with many branches and an irregular spreading crown.
Bark
On young trunk smooth and bright, reddish brown, marked by conspicuous narrow, white horizontal lines, has bitter almond taste; on older trunks, thin, dark brown, rough, and broken into thick, irregular plates.
Leaf
Simple, alternate on stem, length 2" to 6", oval or pointedly lance shaped with finely toothed margins; thick, shiny above, paler below; yellow to yellowish red in autumn.
Fruit (seed)
Drooping clusters of pea-sized cherries, dark red to nearly black; edible but somewhat tart; ripens in late summer; has some medicinal value.
Range
Southern and central Minnesota; shade tolerant when young, shade intolerant when mature; moderately fast growing.
Wood uses
Reddish-brown with yellowish sapwood, medium-heavy, strong, fine-grained; does not warp or split in seasoning; has exceptional luster and color; used for furniture, interior furnishing, tools, and implement handles.