pin cherry

Pin Cherry Prunus pensylvanica
Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Branching: Alternate
Other names: Fire Cherry

This is a small tree or tall shrub, not as common as the other two cherries, Black and Choke. It has the smallest, roundest buds of the three and the end buds are almost always clustered. It has obvious horizontal slits in the bark and looks most similar to Black Cherry, but doesn't acquire the flaky bark that Black Cherry does.

Winter twig of Pin Cherry, showing the clustered end buds

Another view of the buds

Lateral bud, showing the reddish-brown colour of the bark

Twigs of the three main native cherries. From left to right (2 twigs of each): Choke, Black, and Pin

Young bark, showing the horitonal markings shared by Pin and Black Cherry

Another view of more mature bark

Bark of a mature Pin Cherry