This distinct clustering flower growth pattern is a key way to distinguish cherry trees from trees with similar traits. For example, peach trees grow single flowers, and almond tree flowers grow in pairs. Cherries are likely to flower early in the spring. They produce clusters of pale green berries later on in the spring.
Some trees, like crab trees that flower, look a lot like cherry trees. However, in flowering crab trees, each flower has four to five styles. Apple and pear trees have two to five. Mespil trees have five. If you look more closely at the tree and notice that the flowers are attached to only one style, that’s a good sign it’s a cherry tree.
If you take a close look at the fruit, you should be able to distinguish cherry trees from other fruiting trees, such as cherry plum trees or apple trees. Cherry fruit is rounder in shape than either of these. A good rule of thumb is that if the fruit is smaller than ¾ of an inch, it is probably a cherry. Cherry plums and regular plums are usually bigger, about 1 inch or larger.
Most cherry trees have large, shiny green leaves arranged alternately on branches. The bottom leaves are usually medium green. Up higher, the leaves turn paler yellow. In the fall, cherry tree leaves turn yellow with a hint of red. Cherry trees are deciduous, so they lose their leaves in the fall. Cherry tree leaves are attached at alternate rather than opposite points along the stem, but many other plants share this leaf arrangement, so it is not a defining characteristic on its own. [6] X Expert Source Michael Simpson, PhDRegistered Professional Biologist Expert Interview. 25 June 2021.
In some cherry trees, the bark peels back in places. Underneath it, you can spot a darker mahogany color. Cherry tree bark is not shaggy, but very hard, making it useful as building material. The bark is softer toward the top of the tree.
Japanese cherry blossoms are as large as carnations. Kwanzan cherry trees produce white or pink double blooms, and Yoshino cherry trees produce white single blooms. Japanese cherry trees do not produce fruit. They are grown for their beauty, not their bounty.
The flowers will appear in long narrow clusters after the leaves come out in the spring. If you see orange colored fuzz along the midrib of various leaves, it’s probably a black cherry tree. Otherwise, it’s likely a chokecherry. [12] X Trustworthy Source Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Iowa State University’s Extension and Outreach program dedicated to educating and engaging communities Go to source
Sweet cherry trees have more leaves than sour cherry trees. Sweet cherry trees have leaves with more than 8 pairs of veins for each leaf. Sour cherry tree leaves have fewer than 8 pairs of veins per leaf.
Cherry trees’ smell is faint, if not non existent. Plum trees are fragrant. Cherry blossoms have clefts at the tips of the petals, while plum blossoms are oval. Cherry tree bark has horizontal lines. Plum blossom bark is darker than cherry tree bark and does not have horizontal lines. Cherry buds are oval. Plum buds are round. Cherry tree leaves are green or copper. Plum leaves are purple.
