Bitter Cherry
Prunus emarginata
Bitter cherry is a fast-growing pioneer of disturbed forest edges, its clusters of small white flowers giving way to shiny red cherries too bitter for people but readily eaten by birds. Smooth, reddish-brown bark is marked with distinctive horizontal lenticel scars.
Where found
Forest edges, streambanks, and disturbed ground throughout the Pacific Northwest lowlands and foothills.
Fun facts
- Cherries are edible but intensely bitter — birds and wildlife eat them readily, people generally don't.
- Bark peels in thin horizontal strips marked with rows of raised lenticels.
- Often among the first woody trees to establish after logging or fire.
Specs
| Height | 5–15 m |
|---|---|
| Spread | 4–6 m |
| Lifespan | 30–60 yrs |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Native Range | British Columbia to Baja California, east to Montana |
