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Prunus serotina - Ehrh.
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Common Name
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Rum Cherry - Wild Cherry
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Family
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Rosaceae
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Synonyms
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Cerasus capollin Ser. ex DC. Prunus capuli Cav. Prunus salicifolia Kunth.
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Known Hazards
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The seeds and leaves of this species contain high quantities of hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is readily detected by its bitter taste. Usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm, any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten[21, 65]. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death. Discard the seeds. Keep plant way from children [301].
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Habitats
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Found in a variety of soils, preferring moist fertile conditions on north or east facing slopes or protected coves[229]. Dry woods[43].
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Range
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N. America - Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas. Also in Arizona and Mexico.
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Edibility Rating
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Medicinal Rating
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Care
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Physical Characteristics
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Prunus serotina is a deciduous Tree growing to 18 m (59ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a fast rate.
It is hardy to zone 3. It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rasbak |
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| http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rasbak |
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Habitats
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Woodland Garden Canopy;
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Fruit; Seed.
Edible Uses: Condiment; Drink.
Fruit - raw or cooked in pies, jellies, stews etc[2, 11, 34, 55, 62, 101, 149, 183]. It must be fully ripe or else it will have a bitter flavour. The fruit can taste sweet or bitter[43]. The better fruits have a thin skin and a juicy flesh with a pleasant vinous flavour[82]. The fruit can also be used as a flavouring[149]. The taste is best when the plant is grown in a sunny position[159]. The fruit is about 9mm in diameter and contains one large seed[200]. Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter - see the notes above on toxicity. An infusion of the twigs is used as a beverage[161, 257]. An extract from the bark is used commercially as a flavouring in soft drinks, sweets, syrups and baked goods[183].
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antidiarrhoeal; Antitussive; Astringent; Pectoral; Sedative; Stomachic; Tonic.
Rum cherry was widely employed medicinally by various native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints[257]. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism. The bark of the root, trunk and branches is antitussive, astringent, pectoral, sedative, stomachic, tonic[4, 21, 95, 165, 238]. The medicinal properties of this plant are destroyed by boiling, so the plant should only be allowed to steep in warm water[213]. The root bark and the aromatic inner bark have expectorant and mild sedative properties and a tea made from either of them has been used to ease pain in the early stages of labour[213, 222]. The tea is also used in the treatment of fevers, colds, sore throats, diarrhoea etc[222, 257]. The bark is harvested in the autumn and should not be stored for longer than one year since it quickly loses its medicinal properties[4, 213]. Young thin bark is preferred[213]. A decoction of the inner bark has been used in the treatment of laryngitis[257]. The root bark has been used as a wash on old sores and ulcers[257]. The bark contains the glycoside prunasin, which is converted in the digestive tract to the highly toxic hydrocyanic acid[222]. Prunasin is at its highest level in the bark in the autumn[222] so the bark is harvested at this time and can be dried for later use[254]. In small amounts this exceedingly poisonous compound stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being[238]. The fruit is astringent and has been used in the treatment of dysentery[213].
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Other Uses
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Dye; Wood.
A green dye can be obtained from the leaves[168]. A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit[168]. Wood - close and straight-grained, light, strong, rather hard, highly shock resistant[46, 82, 149, 171, 229]. It bends well, works well, finishes smoothly, glues well, seasons well, shrinks moderately and is moderately free from checking and warping[227]. It weighs about 36lb per cubic foot and takes a beautiful polish[227]. It is widely used for furniture, cabinet making, the interior finish of buildings etc[46, 82, 149, 171, 229].
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Cultivation details
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Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil[1, 11]. Requires a warm sunny position[11, 159]. Thrives in a loamy soil, doing well on limestone[11]. Prefers some chalk in the soil but apt to become chlorotic if too much is present[1]. A fast-growing and moderately long-lived tree in the wild, producing a heavy fruit crop about once every 4 years[229]. It is cultivated for its timber in C. Europe[50]. This species produces an abundance of flowers and usually fruits well in Britain[11]. In the wild the tree begins to fruit when about 10 years old and then continues for about 100 years, fruiting well in most years[149]. Most members of this genus are shallow-rooted and will produce suckers if the roots are damaged[238]. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].
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Propagation
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Seed - requires 2 - 3 months cold stratification and is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe[200]. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible[200]. Protect the seed from mice etc. The seed can be rather slow, sometimes taking 18 months to germinate[113]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame[11, 200]. Softwood cuttings from strongly growing plants in spring to early summer in a frame[200]. Layering in spring.
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Botanical References
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1143200
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Links / References
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
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Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
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[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
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[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
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Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
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[34]Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants.
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Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
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[43]Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany.
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A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
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[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
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An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
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[50]? Flora Europaea
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An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
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[55]Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds.
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Interesting reading.
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[62]Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants.
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Very readable.
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[82]Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America.
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Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.
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[95]Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada.
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Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.
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[101]Turner. N. J. and Szczawinski. A. Edible Wild Fruits and Nuts of Canada.
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A very readable guide to some wild foods of Canada.
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[113]Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
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A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
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[149]Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas.
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Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.
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[159]McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana.
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A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
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[161]Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237.
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A comprehensive but very terse guide. Not for the casual reader.
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[165]Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
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An excellent small herbal.
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[168]Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
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A very good and readable book on dyeing.
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[171]Hill. A. F. Economic Botany.
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Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[213]Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food.
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A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
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[222]Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America.
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A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
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[227]Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas
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A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.
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[229]Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History.
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A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
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[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
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An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
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[257]Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany
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Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
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[301]Karalliedde. L. and Gawarammana. I. Traditional Herbal Medicines
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A guide to the safer use of herbal medicines.
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Subject : Prunus serotina
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