Bird Cherry

Bird Cherry
Bird Cherry flowers Bird Cherry flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Rosaceae Subfamily: Prunoideae Genus: Prunus Subgenus: Padus Species: P. padus
Binomial name
Prunus padus L.

For the subgenus Padus, see Bird cherry (subgenus).

File:Bird cherry - ermine moth - full tree - colour - 1.JPG

A Bird Cherry with fairly hefty Ermine moth infestation

The Bird Cherry (Prunus padus; syn. Cerasus padus (L., Prunus racemosa Lam.) Delarbre) is a species of cherry, native to northern Europe and northern Asia, growing even north of the Arctic Circle in Norway. It is the type species of the subgenus Padus with flowers in racemes, which are hermaphroditic and pollinated by bees and flies; it is a deciduous small tree or large shrub 8-16 m tall.

The English name refers to the berries, which are astringent and bitter, seldomly used in Western Europe (but commonly eaten in Russia and elsewhere), readily eaten by birds, which do not taste astringency as unpleasant. It was used medicinally during the Middle Ages, and the bark, placed at the door, was supposed to ward off the plague.

Another name is the Hagberry, and the fruit can be known as Hags.

There are two varieties:

• European Bird Cherry Prunus padus var. padus. Europe and western Asia.
• Asian Bird Cherry Prunus padus var. commutata. Eastern Asia.

External links

• Bird cherry information and pictures
• Tips to identify bird cherry