Choke cherry (Prunus virginiana)
Choke cherry (Prunus virginiana)
A handsome native of the U.S.A, the choke cherry is a decorative shrubby member of the prunus family.
The choke cherry
can in time get to about 4 m in height, preferring a relatively moist soil in a sheltered sunny spot. They sucker freely making them also good for large ground cover, and birds of course who enjoy that sort of habitat.
The flowers in early spring are popular with the bees and the leaves vary in colour from dark red to pale green but all turn a vivid scarlet in the autumn.
The fruit is used by first nation Americans, small, red and usually cooked. Please note, these plants are not self-fertile!