Two types of chokecherries?

[Account Deleted]

I have two trees in my yard. Leaves look identical to me, berries look identical. One tree is more "bush" like that I know is a chokecherry and the other is more "tree" like, just one thick trunk and branches out about head high. Is there two variations of chokecherries?

 

[Ponyroper]

Take a look at these two links and see if they are the two chokecherrys you have. The common chokecherry is classified as a shrub and the amur chokecherry is classified as a small tree.

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-13.pdf

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-73.pdf

There is also another plant called the Black Chokecherry but I don't think this is what you have. There was a lot of interest in the black chokecherries (also called Aronia) a few years ago because of their extremely high antioxidant content so some may have gotten planted around here but they are not native and don't survive well.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/black-chokeberry/index.html

 

[Davey Crockett]

Deer can do that to trees too, seems like most of my trees end up looking like a bush.

 

[Account Deleted]

Pretty sure it isn't the amur.

 

[Allen]

There are indeed chokecherry trees. They get to about 20 ft tall, and are native.

There's a whole row of them between the neighbor place and mine.

OK, caveat here. At least I can't tell the difference between the common chokecherry fruit from a shrub and the trees. They squish down to juice just the same.

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I guess the short answer is that yes, there are a number of varieties (cultivars) of chokecherries. Some remain shrub like, others are distinctly larger trees.

 

[Account Deleted]

Thanks folks.

 

[Brian Renville]

Chokecherries and sandcherries? Look similar just the sandcherries are bigger.

 

[dean nelson]

Anybody been picking them yet? Been seeing a buch of people going into a wild area near by and at first just figured it was that damn pokemon game but then noticed one group had a half doz ice cream pales so figured they must be picking something.

 

[Account Deleted]

Mine are ready. Just need to get out there with a bucket.

 

[Allen]

I picked 3 gallons worth yesterday. Need some more today to wrap up the CC season.

 

[dean nelson]

Haven't picked them since i was a kid but looked like most people atlest elsewhere pick them about a month from now. Somthing about better after first frost. Went back into where i saw the people and its hundreds of chokecherrys but they have definitely been seeing a fair bit of attention with the lower branches pretty well hit and grass layed over.

 

[svnmag]

Any you fellows going to make some hooch?

 

[Davey Crockett]

Any you fellows going to make some hooch?

It's tempting , My Dad made it all the time when I was a kid but I don't think I would be able to drink it, It was sour and would make me pucker. The adults liked it but not me. Other than the odd sip here and there I snuck a gallon from the fruit room when I was about 15 and brought it on a camping trip for bow season opener, Me and my two buddies learned a valuable lesson about drinking with moderation that trip.

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Mom and my Mother in law both made syrup that was real good on ice cream and pancakes , Yum. It keeps a long time, We still have some unopened jars that are pushing 20 years old and will look and taste good when opened but they will support mold growth over time once opened and refrigerated.

 

[svnmag]

I've got a jar of ten year old syrup from the base made by a good friend from his front yard. Ate the other two long ago...I think they long destroyed many of these trees.

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Don't remember the st. name, it was just north of Sirocco. Housing used to be ate up with these trees and Pard knew what to do. We called them crabapples; perhaps we were correct. I do know 'Ol Boy gathered a lot of fruit from under purple trees and made good thin jelly which made great syrup with a few seconds in the nuke if out of the fridge. Rarely enough left over to bother with this. Outstanding addition to the kid's oatmeal BTW. Good with peanut butter if you had a hearty enough bread. Best of course on pancakes with a couple pinches of cinnamon in the batter...Oh my...

 

[Davey Crockett]

Your making me crave pancakes and homemade syrup I already know what I am having for breakfast and that doesn't happen very often with me. Drove past a CC tree in the yard today and the berries were still a ways from being ripe but we are normally a couple weeks behind up here.