This plant is a shrub between 3 and 8 meters tall. Its bark is brownish-gray with horizontal yellow lines. Its leaves are simple, oval, widening towards the tip, finely toothed, and pointed at the apex. The upper surface is dull green, while the underside is paler.
Its flowers are white, fragrant, and arranged in elongated clusters between 8 and 15 cm long. The fresh fruit has a tart taste. The fruiting period is from August to mid-September. The cherries can be made into jelly, coulis, syrup, jam, sauce, juice, or used to make alcohol. In fact, when processed, they lose their astringency and become palatable. The cherries can also be dried and used to make herbal tea.
Where is it located?
A light-loving species, the bird cherry is generally found along forest edges, roadsides, in fallow fields, along fences and railways, and near waterways. It is particularly abundant where there has been a forest fire or in abandoned fields.
Source: Bird Cherry - Southern Quebec Forestry Association (afsq.org)
Source: Bird Cherry - Southern Quebec Forestry Association (afsq.org)
