Good article, Liz! This is why I'm always singing the praises of Prunus serotina!

Sherry

Thanks for sharing this, Liz. I've got some Prunus serotina seedlings to transplant out to the acreage where they will have room to take off.

Sandy

I would love to plant a black cherry! I'm going to be looking for one this fall to put in the yard. I would love to increase the host plants in my yard!

~Laura

Laura,

I have all sorts of seedlings that I'm always having to pull up. I can give you one--don't buy it.

Sandy

Sitting here at the computer, I'm watching a red-spotted purple laying eggs on the P. serotina outside my window!

Speaking of wild black cherry attributes, butterflies nectar on the flowers in early spring, and birds love the little cherries - it's an all purpose tree!

Sherry

Now I have to figure out some place to put one!
Liz

I've got at least a couple dozen P. serotina in this yard (1.25 acres), ranging from numerous young trees, to about a half dozen middle aged trees (25-50 years old). All are growing in the back yard. They grow up to become a large and rangy tree, with a loose form and dark craggy bark in older age. They are quite weedy, so they've naturalized around the back yard - and some years there are lots of seedlings that I have to weed out of the back garden.

Such a great wildlife tree, but not the most ornamental tree. Also, black cherry is the source of wood for cherry cabinets and furniture.

That is amazing that D. Tallamy's small trees are hosting so many lep larvae. Perhaps he doesn't have much in the way of host plants or predators in his neighborhood? I've never found any caterpillars when looking over the small P. serotina, but I don't look that often.