Side by side
Bird cherry or St Lucie cherry? How to tell them apart
Prunus padus · Prunus mahaleb
How to tell them apart – bird cherry: larger, dull leaf and long, hanging flower clusters; St Lucie cherry: small cherry with a round, glossy leaf, fragrant clusters of white flowers in May and small black cherries.
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How do you recognise them?
- Bird cherry
- Dull, finely toothed leaf and long hanging spikes of fragrant white flowers in April–May.
- Compared with St Lucie cherry: larger, dull leaf and long, hanging flower clusters.
- St Lucie cherry
- Small cherry with a round, glossy leaf, fragrant clusters of white flowers in May and small black cherries.
| Bird cherry | St Lucie cherry | |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Alternate, elliptical, 6–12 cm, thin and dull, finely and sharply toothed; small glands at the top of the leaf stalk. | Alternate, 3–6 cm, round to broadly oval with a short pointed tip, finely scalloped and glossy; when dried it smells of hay (coumarin). |
| Flowering | Long hanging spikes of white, strongly scented flowers in April–May (April–May). | Small, strongly scented white flowers in short, upright clusters of 3–10, in April–May, with the leaves (April–May). |
| Fruit | Black, bitter little cherries. | Small, bitter cherries 6–10 mm across, red at first and black when ripe, in July. |
| Bark | Grey-brown, smells unpleasant when damaged. | Grey-brown with horizontal lenticels, as in cherries; the wood is fragrant. |
| Shape and height | Broadleaf tree, 5–15 m | Broadleaf tree, 4–10 m, often shrubby |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, moist to wet | Full sun, any garden soil, dry |
| Native to Belgium | Yes | Yes |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for bees, butterflies and birds | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | June–August | June–August |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Both are native and good for wildlife: choose what suits your soil, your light and the space you have.
Read on
- Plant profile: Bird cherry
- Plant profile: St Lucie cherry
- Bird cherry: when and how to prune
- St Lucie cherry: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Snowy mespilus or bird cherry
- Bird cherry or black cherry
- Bird cherry or wild cherry
- St Lucie cherry or wild cherry
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.