Prunus virginiana var. melanocarpa
Black Chokecherry

Family: Rosaceae (Rose family)

First photo taken at Leavenworth Fish Hatchery, open dry sandy area near the river (50 to 70 meters away). Second photo taken near Dryden, Wenatchee River 20 meters away.

Flowers:

flowers loosely racemose, many, perigynous; petals white; stamens 20 to 30; calyx turbinate to campanulate

Fruit:

drupe deep bluish-purple to black, reddish when immature

Leaves:

deciduous; alternate; blade 30 to 100 mm, elliptic to ovate-oblong or oblong-ovate, finely serrate

Plant:

small to medium sized shrub, 4 to 6 meters. The fruit was eaten fresh or dried for future use by the Yakama, Sanpoil and Nespelem.

Habitat:

Distribution of species:

east base of the Cascades from British Columbia to northeast Oregon, further west in southern Oregon and in California, east in Canada to Alberta and Saskatchewan

Distribution of genus:

more or less 400 species: temperate North America, Eurasia, north Africa