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Common Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)

• Family: Rose (Rosaceae)
• Flowering: April-July.
• Field Marks: The combination of flowers in a raceme, leaves elliptic, flowers on short stalks, and red fruits distinguishes this species.
• Habitat: Sandy woods along large lakes, along streams.
• Habit: Shrub or small tree to 25 feet tall, with extensive rhizomes.
• Stems: Bark smooth, black.
• Leaves: Alternate, simple, elliptic to obovate, pointed at the tip, rounded at the base, finely toothed, smooth, up to 3 inches long, up to 2 inches broad.
• Flowers: Several in elongated racemes, white, up to 1/2 inch across, on stalks up to 1/2 inch long.
• Sepals: 5, green, free from each other, 1/20 inch long.
• Petals: 5, white, free from each other, 1/4-1/3 inch long.
• Stamens: Numerous.
• Pistils: 1; styles 1; ovary superior.
• Fruits: Drupes spherical, dark red, up to 1/2 inch in diameter.
• Notes: The fruits are eaten by wildlife.