Prunus subg. Cerasus


Prunus subg. Cerasus is a subgenus of Prunus, characterised by having the flowers in small corymbs of several together, and by having smooth fruit with only a weak groove along one side, or no groove. The subgenus is native to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with two species in America, three in Europe, and the remainder in Asia. Other cherry fruits are borne on racemes and called bird cherries.
Bird cherries are sometimes used as a food plant by Lepidoptera species including the brimstone moth.
Some cherries, such as chokecherries, are used to make jelly and wine in North America. Prunus cerasoides is cultivated as an ornamental tree. The tree thrives in well-drained and moisture-retentive loamy soil, in an open, sunny, and sheltered location.

Species