| Prunus pensylvanica | |
|---|---|
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| 1913 illustration[1] | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Prunus |
| Subgenus: | Prunussubg. Cerasus |
| Section: | P.sect. Cerasus |
| Species: | P. pensylvanica |
| Binomial name | |
| Prunus pensylvanica | |
 | |
| Natural range | |
| Synonyms[3][4] | |
| |
Prunus pensylvanica, also known asbird cherry,[3]fire cherry,[3]pin cherry,[3] andred cherry,[3] is a North Americancherry species in the genusPrunus.
Prunus pensylvanica grows as ashrub or small tree, usually with a straight trunk and a narrow, round-topped crown. It grows 5–15 metres (16–49 feet) tall and 10–51 centimetres (4–20 inches) in diameter. Trees up to 30 m (98 ft) tall have been found growing in the southernAppalachians, with the largest found on the western slopes of theGreat Smoky Mountains. Its foliage is thin,[5] withleaves 4–11 cm (1+1⁄2–4+1⁄4 in) long and1–4.5 cm (3⁄8–1+3⁄4 in) wide. Flowers occur in small groupings of five to seven with individual flowers1 cm (1⁄2 in) across. The fruit aredrupes, ranging from4–8 millimetres (1⁄8–3⁄8 in), each with a single seed4–6 mm (3⁄16–1⁄4 in) in diameter contained within a hard "stone".[6][7]
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The species is widespread across much of Canada fromNewfoundland and southernLabrador toBritish Columbia and the southernNorthwest Territories. Additionally it is very common inNew England and theGreat Lakes region. It can also be found in the Appalachian Mountains as far south as northernGeorgia and easternTennessee. Scattered growth of the pin cherry also occurs in theRocky Mountains, south toColorado as well as in theBlack Hills ofSouth Dakota.[8]
The pin cherry can regenerate by seed and sprout. Its flowers are bisexual and pollinated by insects. Seeds are dispersed by birds, small mammals, and gravity. As part of its reproductive strategy, pin cherries seeds can remain viable in the soil for many years. Seeds accumulate over prolonged periods, andsoil seed banks may be viable for 50–100 years. Asexual reproduction is achieved by sprouting, and often thickets of pin cherry plants form.[6]
The pin cherry is rather short lived, having a lifespan of only 20 to 40 years following a rapid maturation. Itsroot system is shallow, with roots tending to grow laterally. It is an important food source for many animals. Wintermoose browse it in the Great Lake states andboreal forest region.[6]
Though they are documented to sprout following cutting, individual pin cherry thickets are often killed if exposed to fire. Nonetheless, they have adapted as a species by the establishment of their seed banks which are protected from the most severe heat by their soil cover and fed by the nutrients in the resultant ash residue. Following a fire or other disturbance, seeds which may be dormant for years will germinate rapidly, stimulated by the altered conditions after fire. Combined with the rapid initial growth of seedlings, these characteristics enable groupings of pin cherry thickets to dominate many burned-over areas, particularly in the northern hardwood forest.[citation needed]
The pin cherry serves as food for variousLepidoptera.[citation needed]
Pin cherry currently has little commercial value, though recent interest in commercial production of pin cherry fruit has emerged. The fruit is edible and can be used injams, jellies, and preserves.[9]
Pin cherry wood is light, moderately soft, porous, and low in strength giving it little commercial value. In general, it is not used for lumber and is considered a noncommercial species. It occurs in abundance, however, over a wide range of sites and produces large quantities of biomass in a relatively short time. The species has been described as well adapted to intensive management and chip harvesting on short rotations for fiber and fuel.[citation needed]
