Woody weed or what?? Part 2 - Ask Extension
Good Morning,
Can you tell us what this is? I noticed it growing at a low point at the intersection between my yard and two neighboring yards -...
Knowledgebase
Woody weed or what?? Part 2 #802864
Asked July 25, 2022, 10:49 AM EDT
Good Morning,
Can you tell us what this is? I noticed it growing at a low point at the intersection between my yard and two neighboring yards - all the rain runoff collects there. It grew very rapidly - I don’t remember It last year; it’s now 15 feet tall. We want to know what it is before we decide what to do. Thank you,
Patricia
PS I have 4 photos to send - if this will only accept 3, I’ll fill out another form with the same title but with a “2” designation
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Here is the other picture in case evaluating the shape of the tree(?) weed(?) helps in identification. Thank you! Patricia
Hello Patricia,
This appears to be one of our species of wild cherry trees (Prunus). They are common landscape weeds in that birds and other wildlife deposit the seeds just about anywhere and they grow rapidly in suitable habitat. (They don't grow fifteen feet a year, but two or so feet yearly might be possible as a sapling, so it's been there a few years, even if undetected.)
They can be very desirable host plants for supporting a wide array of native insects (including caterpillars for the birds), but they usually aren't cultivated deliberately so are uncommon at nurseries. If you value its wildlife support and it's not in danger of running into overhead power lines or interfering with maturing trees or shrubs nearby, there is no harm in keeping it. (They can contract several pests and diseases, but to be fair, so can Asian flowering cherries and several other commonly-used garden trees.)
Of the multiple species of native Prunus found in Maryland, the three most likely to be seen volunteering in a garden are Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica). Black and Pin would be the most common within that group, and they can be hard to tell apart when young.
Miri
This appears to be one of our species of wild cherry trees (Prunus). They are common landscape weeds in that birds and other wildlife deposit the seeds just about anywhere and they grow rapidly in suitable habitat. (They don't grow fifteen feet a year, but two or so feet yearly might be possible as a sapling, so it's been there a few years, even if undetected.)
They can be very desirable host plants for supporting a wide array of native insects (including caterpillars for the birds), but they usually aren't cultivated deliberately so are uncommon at nurseries. If you value its wildlife support and it's not in danger of running into overhead power lines or interfering with maturing trees or shrubs nearby, there is no harm in keeping it. (They can contract several pests and diseases, but to be fair, so can Asian flowering cherries and several other commonly-used garden trees.)
Of the multiple species of native Prunus found in Maryland, the three most likely to be seen volunteering in a garden are Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), and Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica). Black and Pin would be the most common within that group, and they can be hard to tell apart when young.
Miri
Thanks so much Miri! We appreciate your help. It is growing in a tiny space where 2 fence posts meet so it doesn’t have a bright future - the space is just slightly wider than its current diameter.
Have a great day & many thanks!
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone
You're welcome!
