Black Cherry, Bare Root

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

A full-sized native canopy tree for woodland expansion and wildlife planting. Black cherry contributes both summer fruit and leaves that feed butterfly caterpillars, so its role extends beyond the harvest.

Key Characteristics

Caterpillar food in the canopy

Eastern tiger swallowtail and red-spotted purple larvae use black cherry foliage. Some leaf feeding is part of the habitat function rather than a reason for automatic spraying.

Summer fruit for birds

Small cherries mature dark and attract songbirds. The ripe flesh can also be used for jelly, with pits removed.

Give the tree its eventual space

This becomes a large tree rather than a compact orchard cherry. Place it where its mature crown and dropped fruit will fit the landscape.

Planting for a population

Use several separately grown seedlings when fruit production and genetic diversity are goals. Seedlings are not a named sweet-cherry cultivar, and fruit quality will vary.

Product Details

• Plant type: Deciduous perennial tree or large shrub
• Native range: North America
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Medium; Medium-Dry
• Mature height: 60–80 feet
• Bloom: April–May; White
• Fruit: Small dark cherries; ripe flesh is useful for jelly and wildlife food. Discard pits.
• Harvest: Late summer
• Pollination: Plant several black cherry seedlings with overlapping bloom for a fruiting wildlife planting; do not substitute it for a named sweet-cherry pollination partner.
• Hardiness: USDA zones 2–8
• Stock: Seed-grown bare root plants; choose the seedling size.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Plant promptly and keep bare roots from drying out. Water the root zone, mulch clear of the stems, and protect seedlings from mowing damage and browsing. Base fertilizer on a soil test rather than feeding automatically; if needed, our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend should be used according to its label.

Inspect for cankers, black knot, and tent caterpillars. Remove diseased wood with suitable pruning timing while retaining harmless leaf feeding where practical. Keep cherry foliage and prunings out of livestock feed; pits, leaves, and stems are not food. Avoid insecticides on open flowers.