The common bird cherry (Prunus padus) has been selected as Tree of the Year, the Latvian Society of Dendrologists reported to LETA.
Experts explain that the common bird cherry is a native species of woody plants in the rose family, widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere — from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific Ocean; its range includes Northern Europe and also Latvia. As an invasive species, the bird cherry has spread to Alaska.
Dendrologists emphasize that the common bird cherry is an integral part of the landscape of river floodplains, wet and fertile forests of Latvia. It tolerates periodic flooding well, thus playing an important role in stabilizing floodplain ecosystems.
The bird cherry grows in both natural ecosystems and human-created plantations, which confirms its adaptability and significance in the cultural landscape, the society notes.
The bird cherry is also an important source of pollen for pollinators, and in the second half of summer, its black shiny drupes serve as a significant food source for birds, experts point out.
Furthermore, the common bird cherry is an important medicinal plant: flowers, fruits, and bark are used in folk medicine. However, specialists remind that the bird cherry is moderately toxic, especially its seeds and bark, which contain amygdalin that breaks down to form hydrocyanic acid (cyanide). Therefore, when consuming the ripe fruits, one should avoid chewing the pits.
Periodically, at the end of May to early June, a local species of butterfly — the bird cherry ermine moth (Yponomeuta evonymella) — reproduces in large numbers on the bird cherry. Its caterpillars can completely eat the leaves and envelop the crowns of the trees in a characteristic "silvery veil." The society notes that the bird cherry usually recovers successfully, and such invasions do not cause significant long-term damage to the trees' viability.
Since the beginning of summer, bird cherry aphids can also be found on the bird cherry, and later — rust fungi, which also do not have a significant impact on the plants.
In gardens, there are also varieties of the common bird cherry, such as "Colorata" and "Novosibirsk" with red foliage, as well as the invasive black cherry (Prunus serotina), Maack's bird cherry (Prunus maackii) with bronze bark, and Virginia bird cherry (Prunus virginiana) with bright red fruits.
