Prunus serotina

Black cherry (Prunus serotina )

The black cherry (Prunus serotina ), also called black cherry or American black cherry, is a species of the genus Prunus. She is from North America. In Europe it is one of the problematic neophyte.

In addition to the black cherry, there is also the bird cherry, a plant native with similar characteristics.

Occurrence

Originally native to North America, the black cherry has spread greatly independently in Europe and is found in open woods, in thickets and shores as an ornamental shrub or tree in gardens. The black cherry is also suitable as Pionierbesiedler of land, but is hard to contain when it encounters a highly suitable habitat. It is one of the Bienennährgehölzen nectar value is moderate, the pollen value bad. The bird cherry loves damp sand and clay soils ( soil pH acidic to slightly alkaline) of the lowlands and can live with occasional flooding. It tolerates sun to light shade, grows well in urban climate and is resistant to wind through her heart-shaped root. Compared to winter and late frosts, it shows relatively insensitive. Also in the South American Andes, the plant is found in temperate climates in Ecuador and Peru. In northern Peru to Cajamarca she is after Carnival, so-called " Unshas ", used in traditional festivals.

Description

Habit

The fast-growing black cherry is in Europe a shrub to small tree, reaching heights of growth of up to 20 meters; in her native North America come before specimens with plant height to 35 meters. The black cherry forms an elongated crown and dense foliage. Their relatively short branches are horizontally aligned and berindet dark brown. The young shoots are hairless. The long shoots have a terminal bud.

The alternate arranged leaves have an approximately 6-25 mm long, equipped with two to four glands petiole. The leaf blade is about 4-12 cm long. Their shape varies from oblong- ovate to oblong- lanceolate. It has a wedge- shaped base and extends towards the tip pointed. The leaf margin is serrated. Small cartilaginous teeth are curved inwards. The lower leaf surface is colored light green. Along the midrib are yellowish hairs. The upper leaf surface is a shiny (! , In contrast to ordinary domestic Tr. ) Dark green color. In autumn, the leaves turn bright yellow to orange to colors. You do not just grow on twigs and branches, but can be found as small leaflets also to the fruit grapes.

Inflorescence and flowers

Between May and June, white, fragrant flowers that are united to 3-8 mm long stalks in cylindrical, 6-15 cm long racemes with up to 30 flowers develop. The grapes are initially upright, then based in the further course down until they finally hang on to the end of the flowering period. At the bottom of the grapes are leaves with a diameter of about 8-10 mm and small bracts.

Fruit

The fruits are bright red at first, then purple-red, black when ripe stone fruit to 1 cm in size. The cherries have a small, circular indented dent and the peduncle small sepals on the opposite side of the stem. The cherry stones are smaller than average sized sour cherry stones and a little more elongated. The edible cherries ripen in late July to late August, are aromatic and sweet, but often have an unpleasant bitter aftertaste. They can be eaten as a fruit, are processed into juice or puree (similar sloes ). In Scandinavian countries, distillates are produced from the black berries. In the U.S., the fruits found in the flavoring of rum and brandy use. Especially the seeds in the stone cores, much less even flowers and bark, contain cyanogenic glycosides and are toxic to humans and animals. The consumption can cause symptoms of poisoning.

Synecology

The black cherry is considered as a host plant for the aphid Myzus persicae, which transmits a viral disease of sugar beet.

History

Already in 1623 the black cherry was brought to Europe. The first mention of Germany date from the year 1685. Cultivation was carried out as ornamental plant in gardens and parks. Since the tree in his home yields on poor soils good growth performance and valuable timber supplies, it was hoped similar properties during cultivation in Germany. In the late 19th century has been tested the suitability for forestry in the context of so-called foreign countries attempt additions. However, it turned out that the plant usually grows more or less just Shrubby under the local conditions. In the 20s of the 20th century began in the Netherlands with large plantations. It was hoped that an increase in soil fertility in conifer cultures, on heaths and on wind-exposed locations. Until the 50s black cherry was reforested with the Late.

Immediately after the fighting as harmful neophyte began - as in the Netherlands since 1963 as bospest (Eng. " Waldpest " ) - because the black cherry forms a dense shrub layer that complicates many forestry work and hinders other woody plants in natural regeneration. Combating first showed considerable success since big mountains accumulated undergrowth. However, the black cherry forms accidentally forgotten pieces of root very vital root suckers that grow faster and denser form as stocks Kernwüchse. Herbicides proved to be of little use, because they damaged other plants as well and could adversely impact on the ground. Success was only a complicated method of careful cutting off the trunk, and not targeted to large-area application of herbicides as well as the cover of the stumps with films to take the stick swings the light. This type of control is complex and expensive. Some experts are of the opinion that the stocks of black cherry by itself clear again, if one leaves the affected areas of undisturbed succession.

In testing, there is currently a form of biological control with the Violet cartilage layer mushroom ( Chondrostereum purpureum ). Here, a mycelium of the fungus is applied to freshly cut surfaces of black cherry. From Available studies it is clear that C. purpureum can cause considerable damage in P. serotina with proper application. Since C. purpureum is very common in nature and is also relatively short-lived, no environmental impact on the local fungal flora or other organisms are feared by the application as Mykoherbizid. However, recent field trials in the forests of the Berlin forests do not permit any definitive judgment about the practicality of the method.