LeavesPlum & Cherry
Black Cherry
Prunus serotina
$4.50per seedling
In stock this season
Sold in groups of 10 — online orders are limited to 1,000 seedlings total.
Quick facts
- Mature size
- — 50–80 ft tall · 30–60 ft wide
- Growth speed
- — Fast — more than 2 ft of new growth a year
- Sunlight
- — Full sun (6+ hrs direct sun)
- Soil
- — Dry / well-drained · Average / moist
- Good for
- — Reforestation & timber · Wildlife food & habitat · Pollinators
- Wildlife
- — Bitter-sweet cherries feed more than 70 bird species; leaves host eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillars.
About this species
Black cherry is a tall, elegant native tree known for its rich, dark bark that develops distinctive, flaky scales as it matures, often described as resembling burnt potato chips. In spring, it produces long clusters of fragrant white flowers that attract a variety of pollinators. These blooms give way to small, dark berries in late summer, which are highly valued by birds, mammals, and even people when properly prepared. Black cherry thrives in well-drained soils and is common in both forests and open fields across Ohio. Its strong, fine-grained wood is prized for furniture and woodworking, while its ecological value and adaptability make it an important and versatile species in many landscapes.
Planting notes
Grows quickly in full sun on most well-drained soils. Wilted leaves are toxic to livestock — keep out of pastures.