Prunus padus
Common name: 
European Birdcherry
Common Birdcherry
Pronunciation: 
PROO-nus PA-dus
Family: 
Rosaceae
Genus: 
Prunus
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous tree, to 30-40(50) ft (9-12 (15) m) tall, ascending branches, rounded shape.  Bark rough, gray to dark brown.  Leaves alternate, simple, obovate to elliptic, 6-13 cm long, 3.5-6 cm wide, base wedge-shaped, margin with fine sharp teeth, tip abruptly pointed, dull green above, grayish and hairless below, petiole 1-1.5 cm long, usually with two glands; fall color yellow to bronze.  Flowers white, 1-1.5 cm wide, fragrant, petals 6-8 mm long, twice as long as stamens, calyx-tube pubescent inside, in loose upright to drooping clusters (racemes) 10-15 cm long.  Fruit globose, 6-8 mm, glossy black; stone oval, rugose (wrinkled); fruit relished by birds but too bitter for humans.
  • Sun to shade.    Prone to aphids and a disfiguring black knot disease.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 3      Native to Europe, northern Asia, to Korea and Japan.  Long cultivated and several cultivars are available.
  • padus: Greek, pados, a tree
  • Oregon State Univ. campus: southeast Dixon Rec., near service road.
Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit, spring flowering

    plant habit, spring flowering

  • plant habit, flowering

    plant habit, flowering

  • developing and opening flower cluster

    developing and opening flower cluster

  • flowering branches

    flowering branches

  • flower clusters

    flower clusters

  • flowers

    flowers

  • after petal drop, young fruit

    after petal drop, young fruit

  • leaves

    leaves

  • leaf

    leaf

  • fruit, unripe

    fruit, unripe

  • leaves and buds, summer

    leaves and buds, summer

  • leaves and ripe fruit

    leaves and ripe fruit

  • ripe fruit

    ripe fruit

  • leaves, fall

    leaves, fall

  • plant habit, winter

    plant habit, winter

  • winter twig, buds

    winter twig, buds