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Upcoming Events | Meet the Instructors | Plant Archive | Mushroom Archive
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Wild Sweet cherry (Prunus avium) is the same species as the commonly cultivated cherry plant. It is native to Europe and Western Asia but has become naturalized in New England.
The tree can be found at forest edges and roadsides.
The bark has horizontal lines called lenticels. The oval leaves have serrated edges. Fruits ripen in early summer.
The flowers have an almond taste which can be infused in syrups.
Fruits can be used the same way cultivated cherries are used. Cherries have been used medicinally to treat colds, reduce inflammation, and improve heart health.
Seeds contain hydrogen cyanide, making them poisonous.
All species of cherries and plums have edible berries.
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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.
