Prunus serotina
Despite the name, P. serotina is not the same black cherries you’ll find at the supermarket. The fruit is, however, tasty enough and highly sought after by wildlife. It can be made into jellies and even a cough syrup. Though, reader be warned: the rest of the plant is considered toxic and should not be ingested. On a different note, the wood is praised highly, coveted for its pink-to-orange color and workability.
Family: Rosaceae
Foliage: Deciduous
Mature height range: 50-80 ft., but size can vary greatly based on variety
Light exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Soil preference: Well-drained, but preference may vary based on variety
Tolerance: Tolerates poor soils, cold, and salt damage well; but vulnerable to some disease and pests [namely black knot disease and eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum)]
Wildlife: Fruit and seeds are consumed by birds and mammals, browsing by mammals; larval host plant for +450 butterflies/moths including eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), viceroy (Limenitis archippus), and the cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia)