Pollinator plant

Sour cherry

Prunus cerasus

Linked agroforestry plant data
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Common names

49 names · 35 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (34)
Dutch
French
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Arabic
  • كرز حامض[3]
Armenian
  • Բալենի սովորական[3]
Belarusian
  • Вішня звычайная[3]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 欧洲酸樱桃[3]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 歐洲酸櫻桃[3]
Czech
  • višeň obecná[3]
Danish
  • Sur-kirsebær[3]
Esperanto
Estonian
  • hapu kirsipuu[3]
  • harilik kirsipuu[3]
Finnish
  • hapankirsikka[3]
German
Hebrew
  • דובדבן חמוץ[3]
Hill Mari
  • вишньопка[3]
  • вишнёпка[3]
Hungarian
Italian
Japanese
  • サンカオウトウ[3]
Korean
  • 신양벚나무[3]
Kurdish
  • هاڵەبەڵاڵوک[3]
Lithuanian
  • Paprastoji vyšnia[3]
Norwegian
Persian
  • آلبالو[3]
Polish
  • Wiśnia pospolita[3]
Portuguese
Romanian
Russian
  • Вишня обыкновенная[3]
Slovak
  • višňa obyčajná[3]
Spanish
Swedish
  • Surkörsbär[3]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Вишня звичайна[3]
Welsh
  • Coeden geirios coch[3]
Sources & name notes (3)

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] Prunus cerasus — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Sour Cherry — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Prunus cerasus.
  • Tart Cherry — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Prunus cerasus.
[2] Prunus cerasus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Sour Cherry — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Zure kers — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Sauerkirsche — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Weichsel — results[1].names[46]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Weichselkirsche — results[1].names[45]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cereza — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • guindo — results[1].names[42]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cerisier acide — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cerisier vrai — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Griottier — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Prunier cerisier — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Amareno — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ciliegio aspro — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Marasco — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ginjeira — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
[3] Prunus cerasus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

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

Source records
  • Sour Cherry — results[1].names[1]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Zure kers — results[1].names[7]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Sauerkirsche — results[1].names[44]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Weichsel — results[1].names[46]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Weichselkirsche — results[1].names[45]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cereza — results[1].names[17]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • guindo — results[1].names[42]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cerisier acide — results[1].names[10]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Cerisier vrai — results[1].names[37]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Griottier — results[1].names[36]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Prunier cerisier — results[1].names[38]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Amareno — results[1].names[24]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ciliegio aspro — results[1].names[23]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Marasco — results[1].names[25]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ginjeira — results[1].names[12]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • آلبالو — results[1].names[3]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • דובדבן חמוץ — results[1].names[4]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • višeň obecná — results[1].names[5]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Sur-kirsebær — results[1].names[6]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • hapu kirsipuu — results[1].names[8]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • harilik kirsipuu — results[1].names[9]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • kirsebær — results[1].names[11]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • hapankirsikka — results[1].names[13]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Вишня обыкновенная — results[1].names[14]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Wiśnia pospolita — results[1].names[15]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Surkörsbär — results[1].names[16]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Ĉerizo — results[1].names[18]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Paprastoji vyšnia — results[1].names[19]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Բալենի սովորական — results[1].names[20]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • サンカオウトウ — results[1].names[21]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • 欧洲酸樱桃 — results[1].names[22]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • 歐洲酸櫻桃 — results[1].names[26]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • vişne — results[1].names[27]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • 신양벚나무 — results[1].names[28]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Vișin — results[1].names[29]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Вишня звичайна — results[1].names[30]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Вішня звычайная — results[1].names[31]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • كرز حامض — results[1].names[32]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • meggy — results[1].names[33]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • вишньопка — results[1].names[34]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • вишнёпка — results[1].names[35]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • višňa obyčajná — results[1].names[39]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Coeden geirios coch — results[1].names[40]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • هاڵەبەڵاڵوک — results[1].names[41]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
  • Guinder — results[1].names[43]; taxon id 68763; Prunus cerasus.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Rosaceae

Genus-level classification for Prunus; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Prunus cerasus.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect; Rounded

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Deciduous

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Moist

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
High Organic Matter

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: butterflies, pollinators.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
Caucasus.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

High suitability
Nectar value High
Pollen value High
Agroforestry database

Complete plant information

Open full plant profile

Structure

Vegetation layer
Fruit tree
Size
Small
Dimensions
6.00 m high × 5.00 m wide
Growth rate
Slow
Lifecycle
Perennial
Foliage
Deciduous

Site conditions

USDA hardiness
3-7
Moisture
Moist
Soil
Sandy, Loamy, Clay
pH
Acid, Neutral, Alkaline
Light
Partial shade, Sun

Uses

Edible parts
Fruit, Oil, Seed
Functions
Adhesive, Dye, Gum, Hedge, Oil
Edibility
1 out of 5
Medicinal value
2 out of 5

The fruit of this plant is deliciously sour in both raw and cooked forms. You can eat it directly or use it in pies, jams, and more. The fruit can also be dried. The cherry has a diameter of about 18 mm and contains a large seed. The seed can be consumed raw or cooked, but avoid bitter seeds, as they may be toxic. The seeds can be used to produce edible oil, which can serve as salad oil, for example. The leaves can be used as a coffee substitute, while the trunk produces gum.

Sources and references

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

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Prunus — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 2451952; ID 6Y6H; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Prunus cerasus — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyPlant habitGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Prunus cerasus — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 346191; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1527497

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.