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Species Guide |
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| The following species are discussed in this guide: | |||||||
| downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea |
hawthorns Crataegus spp. |
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| apple Malus sylvestris |
American plum Prunus americana |
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| black cherry Prunus serotina |
blackberries, raspberries Rubus spp. |
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| Species | downy serviceberryAmelanchier
arborea |
| Species Name | tree |
| Sites and Soils | serviceberries are small understory trees of mesic sites on a wide range of soils. |
| Ecology | There are 7 species of tree-size serviceberries, which differ from one another only slightly. All are small understory tree. Downy serviceberry is the most widespread of the serviceberries. Serviceberries are moderately tolerant, and occur as scattered trees in rich forests. |
| Life History | Serviceberries bear perfect, showy flowers in early spring, before the leaves. Flowers are bee pollinated. Attractive, small berry-like pomes are ripe in June. The fruits are highly favored by songbirds, which devour the fruits and disperse the seeds. Seeds germinate the following spring, or, more commonly, enter the seed bank and may remain there for many years, germinating upon moderate disturbance. Given the prolific fruit production and wide seed dispersal by birds, it is surprising that serviceberries are not more abundant. Serviceberries mature in about 20 years, and rarely live for more than 50. Serviceberries typically reach 20'x6" at maturity. |
| Interactions | VA myorrhizal. Bee pollinated. Important summer food species for songbirds. |
| Status | Common; Stable |
| Range | Eastern Deciduous Forest |
| Kentucky status | Common; stable |
| Kentucky range | Entire state except inner Bluegrass, where serviceberries are apparently absent. |
| Uses | Important wildlife species; excellent ornamental. |
| Ornamental use | Serviceberries are gorgeous ornamental at all times of the year. They are small trees, suitable for yards and naturalized plantings, especially useful for attracting birds. |
| Notes | Serviceberry has many names:
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| Species | hawthornsCrataegus
spp. |
| Species Name | |
| Sites and Soils | Hawthorns occur on disturbed sites, including pastures, hedgerows and oldfields, on a wide range of soil types. |
| Ecology | Crateagus is a complex genus of at least 35 species, with many hybrids and apomictic populations. Hawthorns are aggressive pioneers of disturbed sites, and often cover overgrazed pastures and abandoned farm fields. They are moderately intolerant, and are found in the understory of open woodlands or in open pastureland or the edges of hedgerows. Hawthorns are sometimes considered nuisance weeds on farm lands, and can be difficult to remove permanently. |
| Life History | Hawthorns bear perfect flowers in late spring and are bee pollinated. Fruits ripen in late summer and are highly attractive to songbirds, which consume the fruit and disperse the seeds. Seeds enter the seed bank, and may remain there for many years, germinating after soil disturbance. Hawthorns grow moderately fast, and typically live for about 30 years. Regeneration may also occur from stump sprouts. Hawthorns typically reach 25'x4". |
| Interactions | VA mycorrhizal. Bee pollinated. Fruits are an important food source for songbirds. Northern and loggerhead shrikes use the hawthorns to store their prey, impaling mice and other small mammals on the thorns. |
| Status | Abundant. Increased greatly with abandonment of pasture land. |
| Range | Eastern Deciduous Forest. Individual species have smaller ranges. |
| Kentucky status | Abundant. Increased greatly with abandonment of pasture land. |
| Kentucky range | Entire state |
| Uses | Ornamental |
| Ornamental use | Many species and cultivars are used as ornamentals, and are attractive species for small yards and naturalized plantings. They are useful for attracting songbirds. |
| Notes |
| Species | appleMalus
sylvestris |
| Species Name | of forests |
| Sites and Soils | Apples are most commonly found at old homesteads, and occasionally as escapes in old fields or heavily disturbed woods near homesteads. |
| Ecology | Apples are intolerant, short-lived disturbed site species. They regenerate from seed or stump sprouts. |
| Life History | Apple bears perfect flowers in April or May and is bee pollinated. Fruits ripen in autumn. Seeds germinate in disturbed areas in spring, or may enter the seed bank. Trees which regenerate from seeds are often sterile, and fail to bear fruit, especially if they regenerate from modern cultivars. |
| Interactions | VA mycorrhizal. Bee pollinated. |
| Status | Uncommon as escapes, occasional near homesteads. |
| Range | Eastern Deciduous Forest, Pacific Northwest. |
| Kentucky status | Uncommon as escapes, occasional near homesteads. |
| Kentucky range | Entire state. |
| Uses | One of the most important fruit trees in the world, apples have been cultivated for centuries. They were introduced to North America by early colonists, and were widely planted during the 18th century. The Swedenborgian missionary John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, was responsible for the establishment of many an apple orchard in the eastern US, in his travels throughout what was then the "west" in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. |
| Ornamental use | Other members of the genus Malus are important ornamentals, but not apples. |
| Notes |
| Species | American plumPrunus
americana |
| Species Name | of America |
| Sites and Soils | Plums (there are several species) are large shrubs of disturbed sites along woodland margins, roadsides, hedgerows and old fields. |
| Ecology | Plums are intolerant, short-lived disturbed site species. They regenerate from seed and grow very rapidly to form thickets. |
| Life History | American plum bears perfect flowers in April or May and is bee pollinated. Fruits ripen in summer and are an important food source for songbirds, which are efficient disperser of the seeds. Seeds germinate the following spring or enter the seed bank, where they may remain for many years. Germination occurs when light intensity is high following disturbance. Plums also regenerate from stump and root sprouts forming clonal thickets. Plums rarely live more than 20 years, usually dieing quickly when overtopped by trees. |
| Interactions | VA mycorrhizal. Bee pollinated. Plums are an important wildlife food during the summer fruiting season. |
| Status | Abundant, favored by disturbance and so increasing with abandonment of farm land. |
| Range | Eastern Deciduous Forest. |
| Kentucky status | Abundant. Increased with abandonment of farm lands. |
| Kentucky range | Entire state. Abundant in every county. |
| Uses | Not commercially significant. |
| Ornamental use | Not commonly used, most ornamental plums being alien. |
| Notes |
| Species | black cherryPrunus
serotina |
| Species Name | late, referring to the tendency of black cherry to remain green later than other species. |
| Sites and Soils | Black cherry occurs on a wide range of sites, from bottomlands to xeric uplands on a wide variety of soil types. It only reaches good form and size on rich mesic sites |
| Ecology | Black cherry is one of the most widespread and common species in the Eastern Deciduous Forest, and it is the rare forest that does not include some cherry. Cherry is usually a poorly formed tree, but reaches excellent size and form on the richest sites, where grown with some competition. It occasionally occurs in pure stands or mixed with a huge variety of other species. Black cherry is moderately intolerant, and is a gap phase species, regenerating after disturbance. |
| Life History | Black cherry bears perfect flowers in April or May and is bee pollinated. Fruits ripen in summer and are an important food source for songbirds, which are efficient disperser of the seeds. Seeds germinate the following spring or enter the seed bank, where they may remain for many years. Germination occurs when light intensity is high enough, such as after creation of a large canopy gap. Black cherry also regenerates from stump sprouts. Growth of black cherry is rapid, and trees may grow 3 feet per year for the first 20 years on the best sites. Black cherry trees typically reach 80'x2.5' (Champion 129'x7'), and live for up to 200 years. |
| Interactions | VA mycorrhizal. Bee pollinated. Black cherry is an important wildlife food for its abundant fruit. Leaves, however, contain cyanide and domestic animals occasionally consume toxic amounts of the foliage, particularly wilted leaves from broken branches. Despite its toxicity, it is an important browse species for deer and rabbits. Black cherry has an amazing number of pests and pathogens, including tent caterpillars, cherry scallop shell moth, black knot and other fungi. |
| Status | Abundant. Black cherry is favored by disturbance, and has increased greatly in abundance since European settlement, particularly with recent abandonment of farmlands throughout the Eastern Deciduous Forest. However, the number of large black cherries of merchantable quality has declined drastically due to overharvesting and due to conversion of the best sites to farmland. |
| Range | Eastern Deciduous Forest, with disjunct populations in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Mexico. |
| Kentucky status | Abundant. Increased with abandonment of farm lands. |
| Kentucky range | Entire state. Abundant in every county. |
| Uses | Black cherry is second only to black walnut in value as a fine hardwood species. It is used for fine furniture, face veneer and decorative items. |
| Ornamental use | Not commonly used, but often left behind during development. Often found as an urban weed. |
| Notes |