Prunus avium (proo’-nus a’-ve-um)
Family: Rosaceae, Rose
Key Steps
- 1b – Alternate leaf arrangement — go to 18
- 18a – Leaf simple — go to 19
- 19b – Thornless — go to 22
- 22e – All leaves unlobed — go to 31
- 31d – Leaf is oval or oblong (twice as long as wide) — go to 40
- 40b – Leaf base symmetrical — go to 43
- 43b – Leaf margin not wavy or only slightly wavy; margin obviously toothed — go to 44
- 44b – Petiole is less than 1 inch long — go to 45
- 45b – Irregular pinnate venation; veins may curve slightly; usually splitting and forking near the leaf margin — go to 48
- 48b – Usually glands on petiole or base of leaf. Stem and buds not hairy — go to 50
- 50b – True terminal bud present — go to 54
- 54b – Leaves coarsely serrated — go to 57
- 57a – Leaf hairy beneath at vein axils only — Sweet Cherry
- 54b – Leaves coarsely serrated — go to 57
- 50b – True terminal bud present — go to 54
- 48b – Usually glands on petiole or base of leaf. Stem and buds not hairy — go to 50
- 45b – Irregular pinnate venation; veins may curve slightly; usually splitting and forking near the leaf margin — go to 48
- 44b – Petiole is less than 1 inch long — go to 45
- 43b – Leaf margin not wavy or only slightly wavy; margin obviously toothed — go to 44
- 40b – Leaf base symmetrical — go to 43
- 31d – Leaf is oval or oblong (twice as long as wide) — go to 40
- 22e – All leaves unlobed — go to 31
- 19b – Thornless — go to 22
- 18a – Leaf simple — go to 19
Description
Leaf: Glands on leaf stem or base of leaf. Leaf is 2-6 inches long, pointed tip, irregularly or doubly toothed. Stipules usually present. 6-8 pairs of side veins. May be hairy beneath at veins. Dull green above. Spur branches have leaves.
Bud: Clustered at terminal. Glossy, spindle-shaped. True terminal bud present.
Stem: Stems smell sour when broken. Horizontal lenticels. No thorns. Stipule scars. Short spur branches. Stem is dark reddish-brown.
Flower: White, 1 to 1 1/2 inch diameter.
Fruit: Has no powder or encircling lines. Seeds are round. Fruits are solitary, reddish.
Habit: Small to medium sized ornamental. May be dwarf.
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