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ID cherry tree #759591

Asked July 01, 2021, 10:18 PM EDT

My sister moved into a new house and I’m trying to identify the type of cherry tree this is. It had white flowers this spring. At first I didn’t realize it was a cherry tree but as the fruit got big and turned red it looked more like cherries. It’s located in Minneapolis. In the pictures taken the cherries were just turning red but now the tree is full of red cherries.

Morrison County Minnesota

Expert Response

Thanks for the question. Are the three pics you sent all of the same tree?

Thanks

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 07, 2021, 9:41 PM EDT

When keying out the first picture, it turned out to be a European plum (Prunus domestica). The middle picture did not have sufficient detail to identify anything. The third picture is of a Sweet cherry (Prunus avium). The plum tree will have purple berries and the cherry tree will have red berries. It will be interesting to see if this is what happens. Here is some information about both plum and the cherry tree.

https://trees.umn.edu/european-plum-prunus-domestica

https://plants.jimwhitingnursery.com/Plant-Name/PRUNUS-AVIUM-Black-Tartartian

Very pretty trees.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 07, 2021, 11:01 PM EDT

Yes, all the pictures are of the same tree. I know it’s a cherry tree as the fruit had long stems like a cherry. The fruit turned a bright red. The second picture I was trying to show the bark as that could be a Identifying factor. Also the cherries are sour with yellow-orange flesh. I tried one. See the additional pictures. 

The Question Asker Replied July 08, 2021, 4:40 AM EDT

Thanks for the response and additional pics.  If all the pictures are of the same tree, then the tree in question is most likely sweet cherry.  Thanks for clearing things up.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 08, 2021, 9:49 AM EDT

It can’t be sweet as I tried the cherry and it’s sour. I would like to know the variety name.

The Question Asker Replied July 08, 2021, 1:24 PM EDT

Thanks for the response.

It is very difficult to identify a specific variety of fruit trees from just a picture. The sweet cherry plant that I identified in one of the pictures you sent (Prunus avium) is also known as wild cherry, Mazzard, Gean, Massard, Cherry Blossom, or Sakura. In spite of its name, it has both tart and sweet varieties. One of the sweet varieties is known as Black Tartartian. However this variety requires a growing zone of 5 and Morrison County is between zones 3 and 4. In other words, the Black Tartartian variety would probably not survive over the winter.

https://plants.jimwhitingnursery.com/Plant-Name/PRUNUS-AVIUM-Black-Tartartian

https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-stone-fruits-home-garden - cherries-682263

Please get back if you have additional questions.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 08, 2021, 2:28 PM EDT

I am still puzzling over your pictures, especially the three that you said were all taken of the same tree. The first one of them seems to show the tree growing close to the ground, right next to the downspout which I can see in the background off to the right. But in the second picture of the three where the downspout is very visible, I don’t see anything growing close to the ground or by the downspout.  Please tell me what I seem to be missing.  
Thanks 

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 08, 2021, 4:05 PM EDT

It is not growing near the ground. It is a normal looking tree with no lower growth. Here is another picture I took last night. 

The Question Asker Replied July 09, 2021, 10:06 AM EDT

Thanks for the picture.  I think that the perspectives of the various pictures were throwing me off.

An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 09, 2021, 1:14 PM EDT

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