Bird Cherry

Description

Bird cherry (Prunus padus), also known as the mayday tree, is a graceful deciduous tree admired for its elegant spring display. In late spring, it produces long, hanging racemes of fragrant, white, star-shaped flowers, followed in summer by small black fruits.

Much like wild cherry, bird cherry is highly valuable to wildlife. Its blossom provides an early source of nectar and pollen for pollinating insects, while the cherries are eaten by birds such as blackbirds and song thrushes, as well as by mammals including badgers and wood mice.

How to Identify

Prunus padus has dark green, oval leaves with fine, sharp serrated edges and pointed tips. When young, the undersides of the leaves show distinctive tufts of white hairs.

The almond-scented flowers have five white petals and hang in long clusters, while the black cherries are small and round, and ripen from red to deep black.

How to Grow

Bird cherries are easy to grow and adapt well to most soil types, provided they are well-drained. It can be planted in exposed or sheltered locations and performs best in full sun. Pruning should be carried out before mid-summer to remove diseased or dead wood and reduce the risk of silver leaf disease. If needed, light pruning can also be done in winter once the leaves have fallen.

Bird cherry trees are rewarding to grow, well-suited to medium and large gardens, as well as wet woodland edges and wildlife-friendly planting schemes.