Prunus avium
Record ID:58Naming |
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|---|---|
| Botanical Name: | Prunus avium |
| Common Names: | Wild Cherry, Gean, Mazzard |
| Key Name: | Sweet Cherry |
| Parts Used: | Bark, fruit, leaves |
| Sister Plants: | Prunus cerasus, Prunus serotina, Prunus padus |
| Comments: | Valued fruit tree with significant pollinator support; widely cultivated globally |
Characteristics |
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| Identifying Character: | Medium to large tree (30-60 ft), reddish-brown bark with lenticels, serrated oval leaves, white flowers in clusters, dark red to black cherries |
| Stem: | Reddish-brown with horizontal lenticels, peeling in mature trees |
| Leaves: | Oval, serrated, 2-5 inches, glossy green turning yellow in fall |
| Flowers: | White, 5-petaled flowers in clusters, blooming April-May |
| Fruit: | Dark red to black cherries, 1-2 cm, ripening June-July |
| Taste: | Sweet to slightly tart (fruit), bitter (bark) |
| Odour: | Mildly fragrant flowers, woody bark scent |
| Root: | Deep, spreading root system; supports soil structure |
| Image: |
Image URL: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.gYRG6pQthH2pzW3deYRSzgHaJ4%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=03f6d5d3a83b6512faa763d7fa7fd68549e86aaebb893d1f2a51ae87413690c9&ipo=images |
Distribution |
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| Distribution: | Europe, Western Asia, North Africa; naturalized worldwide |
| Cultivation: | Prefers well-drained loam, full sun; propagate by seed or grafting |
| Harvest: | Bark: Spring from pruned branches; Fruit: Early summer |
Medical |
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| Therapeutic Action: | Astringent, diuretic, expectorant, sedative |
| Medical Uses: | Used for coughs, colds, bronchitis, digestive issues, urinary tract health, and mild sedation; bark as a cough remedy |
| Constituents: | Anthocyanins, coumarins, amygdalin (in bark), vitamin C |
| Solvents: | Water, alcohol (tincture), glycerin |
| Dosage: | Bark tincture: 5-10 drops in water 2-3 times daily; Fruit: 10-20 cherries daily |
| Administration: | Internal: Tincture or syrup; External: Poultice for inflammation |
| Formulas: | Combine with licorice for cough syrup; with chamomile for sedation |
| Contra Indications: | Bark contains amygdalin (cyanide risk if overused); avoid in pregnancy; consult healthcare provider |
| Preparation: | Tincture: Steep 1 part bark in 5 parts alcohol for 2-4 weeks; Syrup: Simmer bark with honey and water |
| Chinese: | No documented use in Traditional Chinese Medicine |
| Veterinary: | Used for coughs or wound poultices in livestock |
| Homeopathic: | No known homeopathic use documented |
Pollination and Pollinators |
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| Apis: | No |
| Pollinator: | 1 |
| Pollen: | Yes |
| Pollen Notes: | Wind-dispersed, visited by bees for pollen |
| Nectar: | Yes |
| Nectar Notes: | Attracts bees for nectar, supports pollinator health |
Other |
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| Non-Medical Uses: | Wood for furniture, ornamental planting, wildlife habitat |
| Culinary Uses: | Fruit eaten fresh, dried, or in preserves; bark in teas |
| History: | Used in European folk medicine for centuries; bark in cough syrups since antiquity |
| Reference: | Plants For A Future; European Herbal Traditions |
| URL: | https://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Prunus+avium |
| Share: | Private |