Leaves & needles
Oval, sharply toothed leaves with pointed tips; usually two red glands sit near the top of the leaf stalk.
UK nativeDeciduousTypical height 15–30 m
Wild cherry
Prunus avium
A tall native cherry, also called gean, with shiny banded bark, white blossom and striking autumn foliage.
THROUGH THE YEAR
Wild cherry through the seasons
An upright oval crown with broad toothed leaves.
Foliage turns orange and crimson before falling.
Shiny horizontally banded bark and clustered buds.
Typical open-grown form. Leaf fall varies with weather and location; young or clipped trees may retain dead leaves. Pruned, sheltered and young trees can look different.
LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
How to identify wild cherry
Bark
Shiny reddish-brown with conspicuous cream horizontal lines; older bark peels in strips.
Twigs
Reddish-brown shoots with alternate buds and short clustered fruiting shoots.
Buds
Brown oval buds gather on short spurs and near shoot tips.
Flowers & pollen
White, five-petalled flowers hang in small bunches on long stalks.
Fruit, seeds & cones
Shiny cherries turn red, then darker as they ripen; each encloses one stone.
Typical flowering: Apr, May. Weather and location change timing.
Images show typical features and are not to scale. Confirm several features using the reference sources below.
CARE WITH PURPOSE
Caring for wild cherry
Help it thrive
Provide sunlight, fertile drained soil and room to mature. Avoid waterlogging and soil damage around roots.
Pruning advice
Keep cuts small and infrequent. Selective summer pruning is preferable to heavy reduction; large wounds invite decay and disease.
When can it be pruned?
June–August in dry weather
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Highlighted months are an indicative window for the work described, not a reason to prune every year. An unshaded month is not an absolute ban.
Timing must suit the tree's health, weather, wildlife and legal protection. Avoid severe frost, drought and vulnerable new leaf growth. Mature trees, major branches and suspected defects need professional assessment.
Tree health: what to watch for
Avoid routine autumn or winter pruning because of silver leaf and bacterial canker risks.
Identification & care references
Guide researched November 2026. Identification remains provisional until several features agree. UK native means native in some part of the UK, not necessarily your area.
Before work in England, check tree preservation orders, conservation-area restrictions and wildlife protection. Official tree protection guidance ↗