Plant Details

Prunus avium

Sweet cherry

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Common names

48 names · 34 languages
EnglishYour language
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (33)
Dutch
  • Kriek
  • Zoete kers[2]
French
  • Cerisier des oiseaux[2]
  • Cerisier doux
  • merisier[2]
Asturian
Basque
  • Gereziondoa[2]
Belarusian
  • Чарэшня[2]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲甜樱桃[2]
  • 西洋实樱[2]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲甜櫻桃[2]
Croatian
  • Divlja trešnja[2]
Czech
  • třešeň obecná[2]
  • třešeň ptačí[2]
Danish
  • Fugle-kirsebær[2]
Estonian
  • magus kirsipuu[2]
Finnish
  • imeläkirsikka[2]
Galician
German
Hebrew
  • דובדבן מתוק[2]
Hungarian
  • madárcseresznye[2]
  • Vadcseresznye[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • オウトウ[2]
  • セイヨウミザクラ[2]
Korean
  • 양벚나무[2]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji trešnė[2]
Norwegian
Polish
  • Wiśnia ptasia[2]
Portuguese
  • cerejeira[2]
  • cerejeira-brava[2]
Romanian
Russian
  • Черешня[2]
Slovak
  • čerešňa vtáčia[2]
Slovenian
Spanish
  • cerezo silvestre[2]
Swedish
  • Sötkörsbär[2]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Черешня[2]
Language not specified
  • Süßkirsche[1]
Sources & name notes (2)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Prunus avium (L.) L. ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Sweet cherry (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 168389; taxon 4N8P4.
  • Süßkirsche — VernacularName.tsv, line 168390; taxon 4N8P4.
  • Vogelkirsche (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 168391; taxon 4N8P4.
[2] Prunus avium — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • wild cherry — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • sweet cherry — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Mazzard — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Gean — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • cerejeira — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • cerejeira-brava — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • cirerer — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • cirer — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • ciliegio — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • merisier — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Wiśnia ptasia — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • třešeň obecná — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Sötkörsbär — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Fugle-kirsebær — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Zoete kers — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Черешня — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • magus kirsipuu — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • דובדבן מתוק — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • třešeň ptačí — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Cerezal — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • morell — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • imeläkirsikka — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • zreizal — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Paprastoji trešnė — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • čerešňa vtáčia — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • セイヨウミザクラ — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • オウトウ — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • cerezo silvestre — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • 欧洲甜樱桃 — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • 歐洲甜櫻桃 — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • kiraz — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • bird cherry — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Cireș — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Черешня — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Чарэшня — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • 양벚나무 — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • češnja — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Vadcseresznye — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • 西洋实樱 — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Divlja trešnja — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Cerdeira — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • madárcseresznye — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Cerisier des oiseaux — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Gereziondoa — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.
  • Vogelkirsche — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 61964; Prunus avium.

General information

Scientific name: Prunus avium
Accepted name (Kew): Prunus avium (L.) L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [4] [5]
Botanical family: Rosaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Prunus (WCVP v16).

Sources [4]
Also known as: Sweet cherry
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Fruit tree
Catalogue size class: Large
Height: 18.00 m
Spread: 7.00 m
Growth rate: Fast
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [1]
Growth habit: Columnar, Conical

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [1]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [1]
Soil moisture:
Moist, Well-drained

Preferred growing conditions. Moisture and drainage are different properties; well-drained soil is not necessarily dry.

Sources [3] [1]
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun
Sources [1]

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit flesh

Fruit flesh only. Remove seeds or stones; do not chew or eat the kernels.

Sources [1] [2]
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(2)
Functions:
Dye, Gum, Wood, Bee forage

Description

Prunus avium is a deciduous tree grown for its fruit. Sweet-cherry fruit flesh can be eaten fresh or cooked. Remove the stones and do not chew or eat their kernels, which contain cyanogenic compounds.

Sources [1] [2]

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
Harvest ends: 31/07

Crown

Crown shape: Broad pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. NC State Extension Prunus avium | Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: DescriptionSoil moistureEdible partsFoliageGrowth habitLightUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Description; Whole Plant Traits; Edibility; Poison Symptoms and Toxic Principle, where applicable
    • Soil moisture: Cultural Conditions: Soil Drainage
    • Edible parts: Edibility; Poison Symptoms; Poison Part
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Light: Light
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .

  2. National Capital Poison Center Are cherry pits really poisonous?
    Supports: DescriptionEdible parts
    Relevant sections
    • Description: Cherry pits, cyanogenic compounds and chewing kernels
    • Edible parts: Cherry pits, cyanogenic compounds and chewing kernels

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society Prunus avium | RHS Plant Profile
    Supports: Soil moisture
    Relevant sections
    • Soil moisture: Growing conditions: Moisture; Cultivation

    Source checked on .

  4. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 343710; name ID 2958711; Prunus L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 851028; name ID 2917143; Prunus avium (L.) L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  5. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Prunus avium

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 1041500, ID 4N8P4: Prunus avium (L.) L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .