Prunus padus

Prunus padus, also known as the Bird Cherry or Hackberry, is a fast-growing tree or large shrub, prized for its numerous long clusters of white, almond-scented flowers, highly fragrant, in May-June. They are followed by small red fruits, black when ripe, attracting birds that love their sour and astringent flavour. The foliage is also decorative, turning red or orange-yellow before falling in autumn. Its informal yet compact shape sometimes features multiple trunks and a rounded, narrow and dense crown with trailing branches, making it perfect for a countryside hedge or as a standalone specimen in a small shaded garden. With a tendency to sucker, it often naturally forms a large shrub, a few meters tall. It is a perfectly hardy and robust species that likes clay-based soils, even compact ones, slightly acidic to calcareous, moist to wet.

Prunus padus belongs to the large Rosaceae family, and is known as Bird Cherry, Hackberry, or Black Dogwood, depending on the region. It is native to Europe, Northern Asia, and can be found in Japan. Its natural habitat features humid environments, where it grows naturally on clay soils containing limestone, which are seasonally waterlogged. It can be found in alluvial forests and on the edge of wet woods. It can even withstand temporary flooding. Hardy to -35 °C (1°F), it only fears dry soils and dislikes scorching exposures. This shrub, which suckers when not grafted, naturally forms thickets, but it does not appreciate competition from other shrubs.

At maturity, the bird cherry reaches an average height of 15 m (49ft) and a width of 10 m if grown as a tree. If allowed to sucker, it forms a shrub 4 to 5 m (13 to 16ft) tall. The bark of the trunk and older branches is dark brown-black with light lenticels, while the twigs are redder. The branches emit a scent of bitter almonds when broken. The leaves, dark green on top and bluish green underneath, are covered with numerous, downy tufts on the underside. They are ovate to obovate, finely dentate along the edges, and measure 6 to 12 cm (2 to 5in) in length. The deciduous foliage turns beautiful shades of red to orange-yellow in autumn before falling. Flowering occurs in May-June depending on the region, on branches that are already in leaf. The flowers are arranged in pendulous clusters measuring about 15 cm (6in) long. Bearing 5 petals and measuring 1 to 1.5 cm (1in) in diameter, the white flowers have a delightful almond-like scent. Pollinated by insects, the nectar-rich flowers give way to pea-sized, black "cherries", maturing in July-August. Bitter to sour and astringent in taste, these lightly fleshy berries with large stones are sometimes used to make liqueurs, jellies, or jams. The harvest is uneven and varies over a 3-year cycle.

The Bird Cherry is a very hardy and easy-to-grow tree. It will thrive in most areas, as long the soil is deep and not too dry. It should be planted in an open position, for example as a standalone specimen, or in a large sparsely planted grove. It can be grown alongside numerous shrubs and small trees that bloom in spring, for a simultaneous or staggered effect, such as ornamental apple trees, flowering peaches, Prunus mahaleb, quince trees, medlar, blackthorn, dogwoods, viburnums, flowering almond, hawthorns, and many more.