What is it?  The wild Black Cherry is often confused with the luscious fruity cherries that you can buy from the super-market. They are in fact very small and sweet, yet hard to find as they are so tiny. But over-all, they are worth looking for! You can most commonly find this tree growing besides it sun-loving friends the Black Walnut, and the Sugarberry.

Where to find it?  Because this tree is a pioneer species, it is slowly growing towards the Midwest, but the natural habitat is more in the South. It grows well in disturbed soils, and has quickly become a road-side weed/tree. For the best results, plant in full sun, or look for a tree in the full sun for the best fruit. They can however do fine in shade; in fact, all the Black Cherry trees I have seen have grown exceptionally well in the shade. They are also located in mountainous areas.

What to eat?  The only edible part of this tree is the fruit. The fruit of the Black Cherry can be eaten cooked or raw. You can make sauces, jams, jellies, juices, preserves, and much more with the jam. The fruit begins to come out after the tree has been growing for ten years. So be patient, it’s worth the wait!

When to find it? You can find this tree year-round, and can actually use it year-round too. But the best time to harvest the bark or berries are at different separate times. The berries can be harvested in early summer. But this time frame depends on your location.  The bark is best harvested during autumn for the most medicinal properties.

What does it look like? This tree can grow to be quite tall, but all the cherry trees I have seen reach maybe 40 feet. For a cherry this is rather small, but none of the cherry trees I have seen were particularly healthy.  The height really depends on their location. The leaves are a deep green all throughout the green-leaf season. They have a glossy feeling to them, with finely toothed edges. During the fall they turn a beautiful red and yellow. The flowers are small, white with five petals, and they grow in long clusters in a single stalk about 5 inches long. The bark is a dark grayish-brown with a very broken shattered appearance.

How to enjoy it? We have already gone over the food uses (jams, jellies, juices, ext…), so now we will focus on the medicinal uses and how the North American Indian tribes used the Black Cherry tree. The inner bark of the root, trunk, and branches are astringent, sedative, stomachic, tonic, and antitussive. To make a tea, put the inner bark shavings in warm water, not boiling. Boiling the water will kill all the medicinal properties needed. The tea has a sedative property, and in the pas has been used to ease the early stages of labor. But it was also used to treat fevers, colds, sore throats, and diarrhea. The best time to harvest the inner bark is during the autumn time. During autumn, the tree’s inner bark contains a high level of Prunasin, which in small amounts can aid in respiration, digestion, and also gives a person well-being feelings. But be warned! Only use the inner bark, and try to avoid eating the seeds of the fruit. They contain a very dangerous poison, cyanide! Drink the inner-bark tea in small amounts, and never use the outer bark as it contains a high level of this poison. Do not let your livestock or animals eat any of the bark or wilted leaves as this will cause them to stop breathing. Please do your own research as to using the Black Cherry tree and how to consume it safely.