# Wild cherry (Prunus avium)

> A fast-growing tree of up to 30 m with masses of white blossom in April, red summer cherries loved by birds and badgers, and fiery autumn colour. It spreads by root suckers to form groups. Popular as a garden and street tree and planted for timber and in new native woodland, though it is relatively short-lived at around 60 years.

Source: https://treerm.org/trees/prunus-avium · Updated 2026-11-08 · License CC BY 4.0

## Facts

- Also called: Gean, Sweet cherry
- Family: Rosaceae
- Type: Broadleaf, drops leaves
- Mature height: 20 m; spread 10 m
- Growth: Fast growing; lives about 60 years
- USDA hardiness zones: 3 to 8
- Light: Full sun
- Water: Moderate water
- Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained loam; dislikes waterlogging and very acid soil
- Native range: Native through most of Europe including Britain and Ireland, to North Africa, Türkiye, the Caucasus and northern Iran; widely naturalised elsewhere.

**Benefits:** Flowers, Pollinators, Birds, Wildlife, Fall color, Edible, Fast canopy

**Good for:** Yard shade, parks, Timber, Reforestation, Food

**Watch out for:** Short lived, Messy fruit, Pest prone

## Care

Plant in autumn or winter; stake and water for two summers. Prune only in midsummer (June to August) to avoid silver leaf disease and bacterial canker, both of which can kill trees. Cherry blackfly curls young leaves in spring. Remove unwanted suckers.

## Where it stands

- **Native:** Germany; France; United Kingdom; Ireland
- **Adapted:** NSW, Australia (Introduced per WCVP); New Zealand (Introduced per WCVP)

## Sources

- https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/wild-cherry/
- https://www.gbif.org/species/3020791
- https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=286442
- https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-avium/