Other Names:  European Bird Cherry, Mayday

Description:

An eye catching tree featuring long, drooping racemes of white flowers in spring followed by tiny purple-black bitter fruit, attractive to birds; leaves emerge green and mature to reddish-purple; best in full sun, can be susceptible to black-knot

Ornamental Features

Summer Glow Bird Cherry features showy racemes of fragrant white flowers hanging below the branches in mid spring before the leaves. It has plum purple deciduous foliage which emerges green in spring. The serrated pointy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color. The deep purple fruits are held in clusters in late summer. The smooth brown bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Summer Glow Bird Cherry is a deciduous tree with a shapely oval form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This tree will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting birds to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease

Summer Glow Bird Cherry is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade

Planting & Growing

Summer Glow Bird Cherry will grow to be about 50 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 35 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.