Scientific name: Prunus virginiana
Common name: chokecherry
Native: Yes
Native range: Native to North America, where it is widely distributed across the United States and Canada [1,2,4].
Distribution in North America: Click to view the USDA Plants Database page for P. virginiana.
USDA Zones: 2-7 [2]
Maximum age: It is relatively long-lived for a cherry tree, lasting between 20-40 years [5].
Ecology: The abundant, red fruits are eaten by birds, small mammals, deer, moose, bears, and even coyotes [1,2,4]. Birds also use the foliage for cover and nesting sites, and the flowers provide nectar for butterflies, bees, and ants [2]. It hosts a number of butterfly and moth species, including three species of swallowtail (Papilio spp.), and the io moth (Automeris io) [6].
Ethnobotany: The contrast of white flowers, green foliage, and red cherries make chokecherry a desirable ornamental [1,2,4,5]. As the name suggests, the raw cherries are astringent and bitter, but they are sweetened by cooking and make for excellent wines, syrups, jellies and jams [2,4]. Many Indigenous American groups use chokecherry as a culinary ingredient, as well as a source of medical remedies [3,4].
