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The Pin Cherry is a shrub or small tree, grows 1-5 metres in height. Fast growing and short lived, the Choke Cherry is usually a large, suckering shrub or small tree that rarely exceeds 9 metres. Although the wood is heavy, hard and close-grained, it is rather weak and is not commercially used due to the small diameter and irregular shape of the trunk. These trees adapt well in most soils, but require full sun. You usually find them near the edges of forested areas of the Algonquin Highlands.
These trees have a trunk that is slender (30 cm in diameter), often inclined or twisted. The bark is lustrous, shiny, reddish brown and the branches are upright to slightly spreading, forming an irregularly rounded crown. The inner layers of bark emit a strong, unpleasant almond odor when bruised. The Choke Cherry’s leaves are simple, alternate, oval to broadly elliptic and broader than the Pin Cherry, with a length of 3 to 10 cm. The edges are toothed with closely-spaced, sharp teeth pointing outward and are a dull green. White, strongly-scented flowers are produced in clusters of 5 to 7,dense, nodding or erect racemes, appearing from late March to April. Each fruit is a rounded, drupe produced in elongated, drooping racemes. The tart but edible fruit is bright red, ripening to a reddish-purple from August to September. They are and important food source for wildlife, especially birds.
Pin Cherries were eaten by several First Nations peoples, but the cherries did not dry well. They also used the bark for decorating baskets. This fruit also makes good jelly, pie-fillings, sauces and wine. The seeds must not be swallowed, as they contain cyanide.
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