Fire Cherry

LEAVES: Alternate, simple, 3″ – 5″ long, with tapering or rounded base and sharp- pointed tips, sharply toothed margins, shining green and smooth on both sides.

TWIGS: Slender, smooth, glossy bright red, sometimes with a thin grayish coating, marked with numerous pale conspicuous lenticels which become horizontally elongated.

FRUIT: Juicy, light red drupes ¼” in diameter, tipped with parts of the persistent style, thin-skinned with sour flesh, maturing in early fall. Flowers in May, white, about ½” across, in clusters of 4 or 5.

BARK: Young trunks reddish brown, rather smooth with large horizontally elongated lenticels, older trunks roughened but not fissured. The outer bark peels off in thin film- like layers revealing green inner bark.

GENERAL: Also called pin cherry, this shrub or small tree reaches 40′, the trunk usually short and branches forming a narrow flat-topped crown. Common in the mountainous sections of the state, rare in the southeast and southwest corners. A valuable reforestation species after fire or limbering clears the land. It provides shade for seedlings of other tree species which follow it in succession and the fruits are food for many birds and small mammals. Deer browse the twigs and young leaves.