Prunus virginiana

Chokecherry is the native, small, suckering tree or large shrub that produces dangling racemes of fragrant white flowers in late spring, followed by dark red to black fruit so astringent it earned the common name, eat one raw and your mouth puckers shut. Native across most of North America from coast to coast, it grows fifteen to twenty-five feet with an upright, often multi-stemmed habit. The fruit, while too astringent to eat fresh, has been used for centuries in jelly, syrup, and wine.

In Western Washington, chokecherry grows in sun to part shade and tolerates a range of soils including the dry, disturbed sites where pioneer species establish. Birds eat the fruit and spread it into new areas, which can make it aggressive in some settings. Several diseases and pests are tracked, including tent caterpillars and black knot. 'Canada Red' (Schubert) is the ornamental selection, with foliage that emerges green and matures to dark purple, similar in effect to purple-leaf sand cherry but on a larger, tougher plant. For a native, fruiting, wildlife-supporting small tree or shrub, chokecherry fills the ecological role. For ornamental impact, the purple-leaved selection adds the color dimension.