chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
Species info:
Leaves: Emerging foliage is bright green, transitioning to deep maroon as leaves mature. This creates a unique bicolored effect in spring. Mature leaves are simple, alternate, and finely serrated along the margins.
Leaflets: None (simple leaves).
Leaf Surface: Smooth, thin, and slightly glossy; new leaves soft and bright, older leaves darker and more leathery; margins finely toothed.
Bark: Smooth and gray on young and mature trunks. May exhibit gummosis (amber sap exudation) when stressed or infected.
Twigs: Gray on both young and older branches; smooth texture.
Flowers: Long, pendulous racemes appear in spring as leaves emerge. Flowers are white to pale yellow, extremely fragrant, and cover the tree densely, making it highly showy.
Fruit: Round drupes approximately ⅓ inch in diameter; dark purple at maturity. Highly attractive to birds and wildlife. Edible and suitable for jellies, jams, and baking.
Botanical: Prunus virginiana
Family: Rosaceae
Mature Height: ~25 feet in Colorado
Canopy Spread: ~25 feet; naturally rounded and open
Foliage Type: Deciduous broadleaf
Flower: Showy, fragrant
Fruit: Edible
Fall Color: Unremarkable, ‘Canada Red’ variety exhibits dark red, purple foliage during the summer
Tree Shape: Small, round-crowned ornamental; open, spreading habit from youth through maturity
Growth Rate: Moderate
Water Use: Moderate; adaptable once established
Hardiness: Zones 2–6
Soil Preference: Highly adaptable; tolerates a wide range of soils including clay and slightly alkaline conditions
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Wildlife Value: Fruit highly attractive to birds and other wildlife; flowers provide nectar and pollen
Wood: Typical of Prunus: moderately hard, smooth, and susceptible to gummosis when stressed
Pests/Pathogens: Aphids and gummosis (often linked to Cytospora canker) may occur; otherwise generally resilient
Planting Recommendation: Recommended for most sites, but generally considered a short-lived tree. Suckers heavily, best used as a shrub. Not one of the prunus species subject to a quarantine in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande, and Saguache Counties . Visit the Colorado Department of Agriculture for a complete list of prohibited prunus species.
Information Sources:
Front Range Tree Recommendation List
Michael Dirr, Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (University of Georgia, 1990)
