Part 44

=Range=.—Minnesota and western New England, southward along the mountains to Georgia.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common tree, especially at high elevations. Found growing on Spruce Knob, Pendleton County, at altitude 4,860 feet. Forming almost pure stands on Bickle Knob, Randolph County, near Durbin, Pocahontas County, in Canaan Valley, Tucker County, and at many places along the Alleghanies.

=Habitat=.—Prefers rich sandy soil of stream borders and mountain flats.

=Notes=.—The large red or yellow fruits of this thorn help in the identification of the species and give it a very attractive appearance in the fall. The fruits are eaten by the Ruffed Grouse and other birds, and are sometimes used for making jelly. The spines are straight and from 1½ to 2¾ inches long.

BLACK CHERRY

=Prunus serotina=, Ehrh.

=Form=.—Height 60-100 feet, diameter 2-5 feet; trunk when in close stands tall and straight, bearing a rather open irregularly-oblong crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, lanceolate-oblong, taper-pointed, 2-5 inches long, thickish, serrate-crenate, with incurved teeth, smooth, dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect; ¼ inch wide, white arranged in drooping many-flowered racemes.

=Fruit=.—Matures in late summer and persists for two or three months; a nearly black drupe, in drooping clusters, one-third-½ inch thick, with purplish juicy slightly bitter edible flesh.

=Bark=.—On old trunks roughened by thick, blackish, irregular plates; inner bark aromatic, bitter.

=Wood=.—Light, strong, close-grained, light reddish brown, with thin yellowish sapwood.

=Range=.—Nova Scotia to Florida, west to Dakota and Arizona.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—A common timber tree in the more mountainous parts of the State; once plentiful on rich soils of upland flats and stream valleys of Tucker, Randolph, Barbour, Webster, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Greenbrier, and Monroe counties. Smaller and less common in most other sections.

=Habitat=.—Thrives best in rich, loose soils of slopes and mountain flats.

=Notes=.—This tree, which is usually called Wild Cherry, produces excellent lumber for furniture, and interior finish. It can be distinguished from the Choke Cherry, which it most closely resembles, by its larger size, longer narrower leaves, and rougher bark. Wild cherry trees large enough for lumber are now becoming scarce.

CHOKE CHERRY

=Prunus virginiana,= L.

=Form=.—Height 15-30 feet, diameter 6-12 inches; trunk usually short with a rounded crown.

=Leaves=.—Alternate, simple, 2-4 inches long, oval, oblong, or obovate, abruptly pointed, very sharply serrate, with slender teeth, glabrous, dull dark green above, paler beneath.

=Flowers=.—May-June; perfect; about ½ inch broad, white, arranged in a drooping, many-flowered raceme 3-6 inches long.

=Fruit=.—Ripens in late summer; a globular, dark crimson drupe, borne on short pedicels in drooping clusters, astringent.

=Bark=.—Smooth, dark gray, somewhat roughened on old trunks by shallow fissures. Inner bark has a disagreeable odor.

=Wood=.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, light-brown; sapwood light colored.

=Range=.—Newfoundland to Manitoba, south to Georgia and Texas.

=Distribution in West Virginia=.—Rare in most sections. Scattered trees grow at high elevations along the Alleghanies. Most common and of largest size on the borders of swamps from Cranesville, Preston County, southward to Canaan Valley, Tucker County.

=Habitat=.—Prefers damp soils of swamp borders, streams and thickets.

=Notes=.—The Choke Cherry is in no sense a timber tree but is attractive when growing wild or planted.