Editing Prunus avium

{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
|-
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Sweet cherry (''Prunus avium'')
|-
! Common names
| Sweet cherry, wild cherry, gean
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Prunus avium''
|-
! Genus
| [[Prunus|''Prunus'']]
|-
! Family
| [[Rosaceae|Rosaceae]]
|-
! Order
| [[Rosales|Rosales]]
|-
! Growth form
| Deciduous tree
|-
! Native range
| Europe to Afghanistan and northern Africa
|-
! Fruit
| Fleshy drupe, generally under 1 inch
|}

'''''Prunus avium'''''—the sweet cherry, wild cherry, or gean—is an accepted species of fruit-bearing tree in the family Rosaceae.<sup id="cite_ref-1">[[#cite_note-1|[1]]]</sup> It is deciduous, produces white spring flowers, and bears edible fleshy drupes in summer.<sup id="cite_ref-2">[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

The fruit flesh is the edible portion. Cyanogenic compounds are concentrated especially in the pits (seeds) and fruit stalks, so these parts should not be treated as food.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Description ==

Sweet cherry is a deciduous tree cultivated for its fleshy fruit. The white flowers appear in spring, followed by summer drupes generally under 1 inch across.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> Its native range extends from Europe through Afghanistan and northern Africa.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Cultivation ==

=== Soil and water ===

Use a moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. A fertile, slightly acidic, well-drained site is a practical target for sweet cherry, and persistent waterlogging should be avoided.<sup id="cite_ref-3">[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> Young trees and container-grown plants need regular watering while they establish; keep the root zone supplied without allowing it to remain saturated.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

=== Sun and humidity ===

Plant in full sun. A sunny, sheltered position suits sweet cherry and gives early flowers some protection from exposed conditions; the plant is still vulnerable to late spring frost, which can damage buds.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup id="cite_ref-4">[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

=== Seasonal changes ===

The tree is deciduous, flowers in spring, and produces fruit in summer.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup> Sweet cherry and other early-blooming stone fruits can be injured by spring frost, so avoid frost pockets and monitor the flower period in climates with late freezes.<sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup> Watering should remain dependable for young trees and container plants during active growth; summer pruning is used in sweet-cherry management, with timing adjusted to the variety and site.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

== Propagation ==

Commercial sweet cherry production commonly uses grafting or budding onto a selected rootstock. The RHS guide discusses Gisela 5 and Colt among rootstocks and notes that rootstock choice affects the resulting tree and its management.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

An original in-vitro study of ''Prunus avium'' used apical and axillary buds on modified WPM medium and reported rooting treatments followed by transfer to compost, peat, and perlite.<sup id="cite_ref-5">[[#cite_note-5|[5]]]</sup> Those abstract-level experimental treatments describe a micropropagation system, not a routine home propagation recipe; grafting or budding is the more practical route for maintaining a selected sweet-cherry variety.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

White flowers open in spring, and late frosts can damage the developing crop.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup> Pollination requirements vary among sweet-cherry varieties: some need a compatible partner, while compatibility must be checked at variety level rather than assumed from the species name alone.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

The fruit ripens in summer. Sweet-cherry harvest timing varies with variety and site; the RHS guidance also identifies fruit splitting as a management concern. Bird protection may be needed as fruit approaches harvest.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup><sup>[[#cite_note-4|[4]]]</sup>

== Fruit and uses ==

The ripe fleshy drupe is grown as an edible fruit and can be used fresh or in ordinary fruit preparations. Remove and discard the pit and fruit stalk; the North Carolina profile identifies these parts as the main cyanogenic concern in its safety summary.<sup>[[#cite_note-2|[2]]]</sup>

== Container growing ==

Sweet cherries can be grown in containers when paired with a suitable grafted rootstock and an adequately sized, freely draining container. Container trees require regular watering, and root-zone volume, drainage, and the eventual size of the grafted tree should be considered together rather than treating a container as a permanent substitute for orchard space.<sup>[[#cite_note-3|[3]]]</sup>

== References ==

* <span id="cite_note-1"></span>[[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/3020791 GBIF Species API: Prunus avium].

* <span id="cite_note-2"></span>[[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/prunus-avium/ North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Prunus avium (Sweet Cherry)].

* <span id="cite_note-3"></span>[[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/cherries/grow-your-own Royal Horticultural Society: How to grow cherries].

* <span id="cite_note-4"></span>[[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-stone-fruits-home-garden University of Minnesota Extension: Growing stone fruits in the home garden].

* <span id="cite_note-5"></span>[[#cite_ref-5|↑]] '''[5]''' [https://www.actahort.org/books/212/212_98.htm Pevalek-Kozlina B, Jelaska S (1987). Microclonal propagation of Prunus avium L. Acta Horticulturae 212: 599–602. DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1987.212.98].

[[Category:Fruit plants]]
[[Category:Prunus]]