The bird cherry grows, depending on the species, as a large shrub or tree and can also bear fruit. Prunus padus makes no special demands on the site.
The bird cherry (Prunus padus) has also been native to us for some time and not only asserts its place in the wild. Because you can often admire them in gardens and parks. The rose family feels particularly comfortable near ponds and streams. Bird cherries can be planted well as a hedge. They also offer good privacy in the garden and have attractive autumn colors. The care is quite uncomplicated, but it should be noted that the roots spread widely.
Tip: Bird cherry is a favorite of butterflies. However, the black berries also attract birds in late summer.
Care for the cherries
➔ Pour bird cherry
In the wild, wild cherries are often found near water. This suggests that the plants need a lot of moisture. If you don't have a garden pond, you can of course still plant the bird cherry, but then you have to water it more often. In dry summers in particular, you should water your plants abundantly every day so that the water reaches the roots. However, make sure that there is no waterlogging. If the moisture cannot drain off, the roots are attacked. The plant can no longer breathe and dies.
Tip: Since the plants do not tolerate lime, you should preferably water them with rainwater. Tap water should always rest for at least a day so that the limescale can settle. Then you can water as usual. You keep the dregs.
Overview of irrigation tips
- water regularly
- Water copiously during dry summer
- pour with rainwater if possible
- Avoid waterlogging
➔ Fertilize bird cherry
The nutrient requirement of the bird cherry can be estimated as quite high. It is therefore advisable to take this into account when planting bird cherries and to upgrade the soil accordingly. If the substrate withmixed with mature compost and horn shavings, the plant receives an organic fertilizer with a long-term effect. Alternatively, a commercially available multi-component fertilizer can also be used. In spring, add blue grain or similar substrate to the soil, water liberally and cover the soil with a layer of mulch.
Overview of tips for fertilizing
- high nutritional needs
- Apply mature compost in spring
- Mix in compound fertilizer
- mulch regularly
➔ Care instructions at a glance
| Care measure | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Casting | The bird cherry needs plenty of water. During longer periods of drought, it should be watered daily. A location near a pond or stream is ideal. The soil must not dry out, at the same time there must be no waterlogging. |
| Fertilize | The soil should be as nutrient-rich as possible. Compost should be added to the substrate when planting. Commercial multi-component fertilizers are also recommended. |
| Plants | The bird cherry should be watered before planting. The planting hole should be of sufficient size. Drainage does not have to be in the ground. When planting, a Root barrier should be installed. Young plants should be given support against storm damage. |
Propagating Black Cherry
➔ Propagating bird cherry by cuttings
Propagating the vigorous plant will not be a problem for the hobby gardener. The easiest way to do this is by taking cuttings and propagating them. These can be cut in spring. Use already lignified shoots and cut the cuttings to a length of about 20 centimeters. The cuttings are then freed from leaves and buds in the lower area and placed in a pot with potting soil. The planter is set up bright and warm and after a few weeks the first shoots will appear. When the plant sprout, this is also an indication of the development of roots and thus of successful propagation.
Propagation of cuttings step by step
1. Cut the cutting
2. Prepare the cutting
3. Place the cutting in the planter
4. Set up the cutting in a bright and warm place
5. Water the cutting
6. Wait for germination
If the cutting has formed sufficient roots after a few months, the plant can bePlant out outdoors and cultivate as an adult plant.
➔ Propagating bird cherry with sticks
An uncomplicated variant is the propagation by sticks. These are pruned between late fall and late winter. A stick should be about 40 centimeters long. Cut the top and bottom of the stick. Each stick should have at least three leaf knots.
Tip: It should not be frosty, raining or sunshine while you are cutting the sticks.
The sticks can be placed in plant pots. Then you wait for the rooting and plant the young plants directly outdoors in spring.
Different species of bird cherry
A distinction can be made between early bird cherry, late flowering bird cherry and Virginia bird cherry.
There are also some ornamental forms in gardens and parks:
- Plena - long-lasting flowering, pretty double flowers
- Waterie - common form, elongated inflorescences
➔ Early Bird Cherry
The early bird cherry grows as a multi-stemmed large shrub. The plant grows very quickly and is fully hardy. The white flowers appear in April and May. Mature plants reach heights of about ten meters. The plant is quite undemanding and tolerates a sunny or partially shaded location. The edible fruits can be processed into juice or jam.
➔ Late flowering bird cherry
The origin of the late black cherry can be found in North America. The plants grow as small trees and are about 20 meters high. Growth heights of up to 30 meters are also possible in ideal site conditions. The late-flowering bird cherries are densely leafy and have a rather elongated crown. The tops of the leaves are dark green and shiny. The yellow to orange autumn color is particularly attractive. The fruits are initially light red and mature into black drupes. Harvest time is in late summer. The fruits are sweet but have a bitter aftertaste that can be unpleasant.
➔ Black Cherry
The Virginian bird cherry shows similarities to the cherry laurel. The hydrocyanic acid content of the fruit is limited to the pips, so that the fruit can be consumed without restriction. The plants grow as a man-high shrub and are densely branched. The creamy white onesFragrant flowers appear location-dependent. The fruits have little pulp and are a popular food source for birds. The distribution area extends from Canada to Texas, California and New Mexico.
Sweet cherry overwintering
Fully grown plants survive the winter in our latitudes without protection. Young plants should be protected from severe frost during their first winter. Wrap the root ball with leaves or twigs and protect the crown with a garden fleece hood.
Detecting diseases on the bird cherry
Black cherries are quite robust, but are not entirely spared from diseases and pests. The most common pest is the bird cherry spider moth. The pests do not spread to fruit trees - this is a common misconception in gardening circles.
The spider moth can completely ensnare the bird cherry, which is a bizarre sight. The larvae of the moths feed on the leaves of the tree. The winder Acleris umbrana does the same. The hobby gardener rarely needs to intervene because the caterpillars are a welcome source of food for the birds in the garden.
Other diseases and pests that may occur:
- Brown Rot
- Scab
- Fruit Flies
- Aphids
- Leaf spot disease
If the following care mistakes are avoided, the plants are stronger and better protected against pests and diseases.
- too dark location
- too little water
- Soil too calcareous
- soil too heavy
- Waterlogging