Prunus serotinaIndiana Native
Black Cherry

Prunus serotina - Overall Habit

Family:

Rosaceae (Rose Family) 217

Genus:

Prunus (Cherry Plum Cherry Laurel Almond Flowering Almond Birdcherry Laurel) 23

Plant Type:

Tree 583

Growth Forms:

Upright 605

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 3 274

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 879

Flower Notes:

White (Small drooping 5" long racemes in May (later than most cherries))

Foliage Notes:

Multi-Colored (Can develop an orange-yellow-red fall color, but usually not spectacular)

Stem Notes:

satiny

Fruit Notes:

Black (Small cherries ripen in August)

Ultimate Height:

50-60 feet

Ultimate Spread:

30-40 feet

Bloom Times:

Fruiting Times:

Light Requirements:

Soil Water Requirements:

Medium 243

Soil Notes:

Grows best in moist well drained soils, but also grows on dry gravelly or sandy soils

Range:

Eastern and central North America

Maintenance:

Low 351

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Lance-oblong to oblong-ovate alternate leaves are 2-5" long and 1-1.75" wide with small incurved callous teeth. Small roundish glands on petiole. Young bark with lenticels; older bark darker, scaly, cracking, and curling back.

Ecological Functions:

Purdue Plant Doctor

Parts and Problems of Cherry Laurel

Special Characteristics:

Fast Growth Rate 229

Indiana Native 168

Naturalizing 132

Additional Information

Probably the best native-American species of cherry for landscape use, but still useful only in a few situations, especially for naturalizing. A valuable timber tree, especially for furniture. Subject to several minor pests, none usually serious in naturalized situations. Wood is slightly brittle. Eastern tent caterpillar problematic is some years.

Plant Photo Gallery

Prunus serotina - Overall Habit

Overall Habit

Prunus serotina - Leaf

Leaf

Prunus serotina - Flower Bud

Flower Bud

Prunus serotina - Bark

Bark

Prunus serotina - Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage

Prunus serotina - Bark

Bark

Prunus serotina - Twig and Buds

Twig and Buds

Prunus serotina - Buds

Buds

Prunus serotina - Winter Habit

Winter Habit

Prunus serotina - Flower Buds and Foliage

Flower Buds and Foliage

Prunus serotina - Flowers

Flowers

Prunus serotina - Unripe Fruit

Unripe Fruit

When Prunus serotina has been observed flowering or fruiting at Purdue University

Flowering

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Week 1 flowering not present	Week 2 flowering not present	Week 3 flowering not present	Week 4 flowering not present	Week 5 flowering not present	Week 6 flowering not present	Week 7 flowering not present	Week 8 flowering not present	Week 9 flowering not present	Week 10 flowering not present	Week 11 flowering not present	Week 12 flowering not present	Week 13 flowering not present	Week 14 flowering not present	Week 15 flowering not present	Week 16 flowering not present	Week 17 flowering not present	Week 18 flowering not present	Week 19 flowering present	Week 20 flowering present	Week 21 flowering present	Week 22 flowering present	Week 23 flowering not present	Week 24 flowering not present	Week 25 flowering not present	Week 26 flowering not present	Week 27 flowering not present	Week 28 flowering not present	Week 29 flowering not present	Week 30 flowering not present	Week 31 flowering not present	Week 32 flowering not present	Week 33 flowering not present	Week 34 flowering not present	Week 35 flowering not present	Week 36 flowering not present	Week 37 flowering not present	Week 38 flowering not present	Week 39 flowering not present	Week 40 flowering not present	Week 41 flowering not present	Week 42 flowering not present	Week 43 flowering not present	Week 44 flowering not present	Week 45 flowering not present	Week 46 flowering not present	Week 47 flowering not present	Week 48 flowering not present	Week 49 flowering not present	Week 50 flowering not present	Week 51 flowering not present	Week 52 flowering not present

Fruiting

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Week 1 fruiting not present	Week 2 fruiting not present	Week 3 fruiting not present	Week 4 fruiting not present	Week 5 fruiting not present	Week 6 fruiting not present	Week 7 fruiting not present	Week 8 fruiting not present	Week 9 fruiting not present	Week 10 fruiting not present	Week 11 fruiting not present	Week 12 fruiting not present	Week 13 fruiting not present	Week 14 fruiting not present	Week 15 fruiting not present	Week 16 fruiting not present	Week 17 fruiting not present	Week 18 fruiting not present	Week 19 fruiting not present	Week 20 fruiting not present	Week 21 fruiting not present	Week 22 fruiting not present	Week 23 fruiting not present	Week 24 fruiting not present	Week 25 fruiting not present	Week 26 fruiting not present	Week 27 fruiting not present	Week 28 fruiting not present	Week 29 fruiting present	Week 30 fruiting present	Week 31 fruiting present	Week 32 fruiting present	Week 33 fruiting present	Week 34 fruiting present	Week 35 fruiting present	Week 36 fruiting present	Week 37 fruiting present	Week 38 fruiting not present	Week 39 fruiting not present	Week 40 fruiting not present	Week 41 fruiting not present	Week 42 fruiting not present	Week 43 fruiting not present	Week 44 fruiting not present	Week 45 fruiting not present	Week 46 fruiting not present	Week 47 fruiting not present	Week 48 fruiting not present	Week 49 fruiting not present	Week 50 fruiting not present	Week 51 fruiting not present	Week 52 fruiting not present

Other plants like this Prunus serotina (Black Cherry)

The Purdue Arboretum is a collaboration between the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Administrative Operations

Purdue Arboretum, 625 Agriculture Mall Dr, West Lafayette, IN, 47907

© 2026 Purdue UniversityAn equal access/equal opportunity universityCopyright ComplaintsMaintained by Purdue Arboretum Explorer

Contact Purdue Arboretum at arboretum@purdue.edu for accessibility issues with this page | Accessibility Resources | Contact Us