Wild Cherry (Prunus Avium) - British Trees - Woodland Trust

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Cherry, wild (Prunus avium)

Beautiful blossom and a bounty of bright red fruits. Wild cherry , one of the prettiest native trees, is relished by gardeners and wildlife.

  • After pollination by insects, the flowers develop into deep-red cherries.

    Credit: Brian Legg / WTML

  • This beautiful tree is often used as an ornamental feature in gardens.

    Credit: Richard Becker / WTML

  • Its leaves are oval, green and toothed, with pointed tips.

    Credit: Brian Legg / WTML

  • The bark is shiny and deep reddish-brown with cream horizontal lines.

    Credit: Nature Photographers Ltd / WTML

  • Leaves fade to orange and red in autumn.

    Credit: Klein & Hubert / naturepl.com

  • Many wildlife species benefit from this tree.

    Credit: Richard Becker / WTML

  • The flowers are a nectar source for bees.

    Credit: Paul Coppi / WTML

  • The cherries are often eaten by birds.

    Credit: Nature Photographers Ltd / WTML

  • Winter twigs have oval-shaped buds in clusters.

    Credit: Nature Photographers Ltd / WTML

  • The leaf stems have two red glands at the top.

    Credit: Brian Legg / WTML

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  • What it looks like
  • Where to find it
  • Value to wildlife
  • Uses and mythology
  • Threats
Quick facts

Common names: wild cherry, sweet cherry, gean

Scientific name: Prunus avium

Family: Rosaceae

Origin: native

Mature trees can grow to 30m and live for up to 60 years. The shiny bark is a deep reddish-brown with prominent cream-coloured horizontal lines called lenticels. The second part of its botanical name – avium – refers to birds which play a role in the tree’s propagation by eating the cherries and dispersing the seed. In Scotland, cherry is sometimes referred to as ‘gean’.

Look out for: the leaf stems (petioles) which have two red glands at the top.Identified in winter by: winter twigs which have oval-shaped buds in clusters.

What does wild cherry look like? 

Image credit

Credit: Klein & Hubert / naturepl.com

Leaves

Oval, green and toothed with pointed tips, measuring 6–15cm with two red glands on the stalk at the leaf base. They fade to orange and deep crimson in autumn.

Image credit

Credit: Paul Coppi / WTML

Flowers

Cherry trees are hermaphrodite, meaning the male and female reproductive parts are found in the same flower. Flowers, measuring 8–15mm across appear in April and are white and cup-shaped, with five petals. They hang in clusters of two to six.

Image credit

Credit: Brian Legg / WTML

Fruits

After pollination by insects, the flowers develop into globular, hairless, deep-red cherries.

Not to be confused with:

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus) – wild cherry fruits are on longer stalks; bird cherry (Prunus padus); and cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera).

Sour cherry flowering blossom

Cherry, sour

Bird cherry blossom

Cherry, bird

Cherry plum close-up of blossom lowers

Plum, cherry

Trees woods and wildlife

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Credit: Richard Becker / WTML

Where to find wild cherry

Wild cherry is native throughout the UK and Europe, except the far north. It grows best in full sunlight and fertile soil.

Image credit

Credit: Richard Becker / WTML

Value to wildlife

The spring flowers provide an early source of nectar and pollen for bees; while the cherries are eaten by birds, including the blackbird and song thrush; as well as mammals, such as the badger, wood mouse, yellow-necked mouse and dormouse. The foliage is the main food plant for caterpillars of many species of moth, including the cherry fruit and cherry bark moths, the orchard ermine, brimstone and short-cloaked moth.

Image credit

Credit: Brian Legg / WTML

Mythology and symbolism

In Highland folklore, wild cherry had mysterious qualities, and to encounter one was considered auspicious and fateful.

Did you know?

Although the seeds are distributed by mammals and birds, cherry trees can also propagate themselves by root suckers.

Uses of wild cherry

Wild cherry has many cultivars and is a popular ornamental tree in gardens. Traditionally, cherries were planted for their fruit and also their wood which was used for making cask hoops and vine poles. The sticky resin was thought to promote a good complexion and eyesight, and help to cure coughs.These days, cherry wood is used to make decorative veneers and furniture. The wood is hard, strong and honey-coloured, and can be polished to a good, shiny brown. The wood burns well and produces a sweetly scented smoke, similar to the scent of its flowers.

Wild cherry was traditionally planted for its fruit.

Credit: Nature Photographers Ltd / WTML

Threats and conservation

Wild cherry is susceptible to bacterial cankers which can disfigure and occasionally kill infected trees. Pruning at the wrong time of year can put trees at risk from silver leaf disease, which can also eventually kill the tree. Dieback can be caused by damage from the cherry black fly, Myzus cerasi.

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