Cherry trees have very beautiful spring flowers, they are often grown precisely for their flowers and not for fruits. It is easy to recognize a cherry tree in spring, when it is fully in bloom, or in mid-summer when it is bearing fruit; the steps below, however, will help you recognize this type of tree even when it is not producing fruit or flowers!
Steps
Step 1. Pay attention to the height of the tree
Cherry trees in their maximum flowering time can reach 7 meters. Remember that there are also many other trees with similar heights, it's just a first clue to identify.
Step 2. Look at the bark of the tree
It must be very smooth and purplish-brown in color. Older cherry trees have a much darker bark in color.
Step 3. Examine the leaves and check if they have the following characteristics:
-
Each leaf is approximately 7 to 14 cm long
Identify Cherry Trees Step 3Bullet1 -
The leaves of the cherry trees are usually a fairly bright green color and have a very fine and soft texture on the underside.
Identify Cherry Trees Step 3Bullet2 -
The tips of the leaves have about 5 small red glands. The leaves are thick enough, if you touch them, they are a little rough.
Identify Cherry Trees Step 3Bullet3 -
The serrated ends of the oval-shaped leaves also have small red glands.
Identify Cherry Trees Step 3Bullet4 -
Look at the leaves in the fall - they usually turn pink, orange, and eventually red, before falling off.
Identify Cherry Trees Step 3Bullet5
Step 4. Look for clusters of white or pink flowers in spring
Each flower has 5 petals. When a cherry tree is in full bloom, you usually can't see anything but these flowers.
Step 5. Check the fruit in mid-summer
Cherries grow in pairs from small stems. Fruit can come in a wide range of colors, from bright red to dark purple. Cherries have a small core in the center.
Advice
- Cherry trees are very common in the most elegant parks and gardens.
- Sometimes, wild apple trees are confused with cherry trees. However, if you look closely at their leaves, you won't see the little red glands. Wild apple trees don't have that dense cascade of blossoms that cherry trees have, and their blossoms have a more delicate appearance.
Warnings
- Make sure you clean the cherries before eating them; they may have been treated with pesticides!
- All cherries have a stone inside, it's very hard and can break a tooth, so be careful when chewing on a cherry!
