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Chokecherry, Western Chokecherry, Black Chokecherry - Prunus virginiana


Family: Rosaceae - Rose family Genus Common Name: Plum Native Status: Native
Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry, Western Chokecherry, Black Chokecherry. There are three varieties of Prunus virginiana in the United States - P. Virginia var. virginiana (Common Chokecherry) is found in the eastern part of the country, and both P. virginiana var. melanocarpa (Black Chokecherry) and P. virginiana var. demissa (Western Chokecherry) are found in the western part. One variety or another is found in every state except Louisiana, Alabana, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, and Hawaii. Chokecherry is also found in most Canadian provinces.

There are minor differences between the varieties. Among other differences, var. melanocarpa has black fruit while the others have red or purple fruit. The fruit is edible, but use caution – as with many drupes (fruits with skin, pulp, and hard middle seed) the pit can be poisonous if consumed in large enough quantities (note that this is also true of peach, cherry, and plum pits,) and children have reportedly died from eating a large quantity of chokecherries with pits.

My initial identification of this plant was made using Idaho Mountain Wildflowers .

Although it is a useful wildlife food, it is considered weedy or invasive in the Northeast by some authorities, so use some discrimination in determining whether to propagate the plant.

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Prunus virginiana

Distribution of Prunus virginiana in the United States and Canada:
Map unavailable.
Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
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Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson
Based on the location (Ada County, Idaho) this is Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa. The flowers have 5 white petals attached to 5 greenish sepals with a yellow center. The flower has a number of stamens extending above the flower. The fragrant cluster is more or less cylindrical.
Prunus virginiana
Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15Photographer: Gerald C Williamson
Nikon D60
Chokecherry has lanceolate, serrated leaves. The western varieties are shrubs that may rarely grow as tall as 20 feet; the eastern variety can be a small tree.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Prunus virginiana
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Prunus virginiana initially published on USWildflowers.com 2010-07-24; Updated 2015-06-24

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All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
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Code Update 20230302