Virginia bird cherry

Family Rosaceae (Rosaceae). Grows predominantly along rivers, on rich and moist soils, in the eastern regions of North America.

In its characteristics it most closely resembles our common bird cherry. Its difference lies in that the buds, 5–7 mm long, stand away from the shoot, whereas in the common bird cherry buds reach 13 mm and are appressed to the shoot.

A tree up to 15 m tall, with a wide, spreading crown; dark brown, finely fissured bark. Leaves oblong-ovate, when unfolding brownish-green, in summer dark green, firm, glossy, sharply serrated, up to 12 cm long. Flowers white, up to 1.3 cm, in many-flowered, leafy racemes up to 15 cm long. Fruits globose, at first red, when fully ripe dark red, with juicy, edible flesh. Flowers and fruits annually from 7 years of age. Self-seeds and produces numerous root suckers. Flowering lasts about two weeks; fruits ripen at the end of summer, gradually drying, and may persist until May of the following year, long decorating the plant. Leaves turn bright colors in autumn.

In cultivation it often grows as a large shrub up to 6–7 m tall, more rarely as a small tree. The most intensive growth occurs between 5 and 15 years. It is less demanding of soils than the common bird cherry, but prefers rich, well-moistened sites. Shade-tolerant, but grows better in open positions, resistant to pests and diseases, hardy. Propagated by seeds and root suckers. In cultivation since 1724. Seeds germinate well. This very hardy tree can also be used like the common bird cherry.

The Virginia bird cherry itself is of little interest, but it has a very striking form "Shubert"('Shubert'). The plant reaches 3-4 m in about 15 years. This cultivar has been known in cultivation since 1950. A small, conical deciduous tree or large shrub with green young foliage that quickly becomes reddish-purple, glossy, up to 10 cm long. Blooms in late spring with small white flowers (up to 1 cm in diameter), gathered in pendulous inflorescences. Suitable for solitary and group plantings, creating edges, as an understorey, in openings of sparse plantings.