Black cherry Prunus serotina growing in Glen Arboretum, Towson University, Maryland.

 Black cherry is native to the eastern and central United States. I met them in arboretums near Washington DC, where they were easier to identify in winter.  In the US these attractive trees are valued for their wood and as food for animals, although as a pioneer species they may grow back in great abundance after cleared land is abandoned.

 In the Netherlands, during large-scale reforestation efforts, black cherry was widely planted to improve soil fertility in support of the growth of Scots pine. After the pines were clear cut for lumber in the 195Os, rapid growth of black cherry prevented pine regeneration. Eradication began in the 1970s, spurred by desires to increase employment in the wake of a recession. However, these efforts backfired, dramatically increasing the presence of black cherry throughout the country.

Black cherry has become a valuable food source for native insects, birds, and mammals.  If dunes and heaths are desired, then all tree seedlings must be removed to keep the land in this state. However, if the growth of a range of species is encouraged in forests, black cherry will eventually be crowded out by trees that can grow in less light.  Whatever humans may desire, a recently arrived fungus may dramatically reduce black cherry populations.

What do the many histories of the black cherry teach us about caring for the forest? What is the effect of calling trees or any non-human invaders?  

Spring photos by Frank Sheehan