Cherry Trees are trees in section Prunus of subgenus Prunus of genus Prunus of the Amygdaleae tribe of the Amygdaloideae subfamily of the rose family. The genus Prunus also contains plum trees, apricot trees, peach trees, and almond trees.
More distantly related, but also in the Amygdaloideae subfamily of the rose family, is the Maleae tribe, which includes apple trees, pear trees, hawthorn trees, cotoneaster, photinia, and toyon.
Cherry trees are not closely related to brush cherries, which are in the myrtle family and are named for the coincidental visual resemblance of their fruits to cherries.
Native to Yolo County
Bitter Cherry (Prunus emarginata) is a long-lived deciduous tree native to a few scattered areas of the Yolo County foothills. It usually grows 30 to 50 feet tall., and it spreads by root suckers to form thickets. In 20 years, it might grow to 25 feet tall. It prefers full sun or partial shade. It has very low water needs and usually grows in dry areas but occasionally grows in wetlands. Its fruits are red or purple and juicy but bitter. Bitter Cherry has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower).
Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia) is a fast-growing evergreen tree native to a small patch of the Yolo County foothills west of Winters. It usually grows 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 feet wide. In 20 years, it might grow to 30 feet tall. It prefers full sun or partial shade. It has high drought tolerance and grows only in dry areas. Its fruits are dark green when ripe and are mostly seed with very little flesh. Hollyleaf Cherry has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). It is ranked 5 out of 10 on the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale, indicating a mild to moderate tendency to cause hay fever.
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a fast-growing, short-lived deciduous tree or large shrub native to the Yolo County foothills, including the Capay Hills. It usually grows 15 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. In 20 years, it might grow to 15 feet tall. It spreads by root suckers to form thickets. It prefers full sun or partial shade. It has low water needs but is equally likely to grow in wetlands or in dry areas. Its fruits are dark red, nearly black when fully ripe, and they must be fully ripe to become less astringent and contain less cyanide, rendering them edible in small quantities. They do still contain some cyanide even when ripe. Chokecherry has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). It is ranked 5 out of 10 on the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale, indicating a mild to moderate tendency to cause hay fever.
Non-Native
Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium) is a deciduous tree from Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. It usually grows 50 to 100 feet tall. It is the leading species of cherry grown agriculturally in California; however, climate change has seriously damaged the viability of cherries as an agricultural crop in the Woodland area. The article "Life's Not Always a Bowl of Cherries" by Margaret Burns, from The Davis Enterprise, June 22, 2014, reported on the destruction of the cherry crop that year due to unseasonably warm winter weather, which failed to provide the necessary chill that Sweet Cherry trees require for fruit production. The climate has only continued to heat up in the decade since then. Accordingly, Sweet Cherry is not commonly planted in Woodland. Sweet Cherry has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). It is ranked 5 to 7 out of 10 on the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale, depending on cultivar.
Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana) is an evergreen tree from the southeastern United States. It usually grows 20 to 30 feet tall. It usually grows in dry areas but occasionally grows in wetlands. Its common name comes from the coincidental visual resemblance of its leaves to those of bay laurel trees; however, it is not at all closely related to them. Carolina Cherry Laurel has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). It is ranked 6 out of 10 on the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale, indicating a moderate tendency to cause hay fever. It is planted in Everman Park, Joseph Schneider Park, and Wayne Cline Park. It is also planted as a street tree on 2nd Street, Dog Gone Alley, and Quail Drive.
Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata) is a deciduous tree from eastern Asia. It usually grows 25 to 40 feet tall. Its fruits are mostly seed with very little flesh. Japanese Flowering Cherry has "perfect" flowers (containing both male and female parts in the same flower). The single-flowered form of it is ranked 7 out of 10 on the Ogren Plant Allergy Scale, indicating that it tends to cause fairly severe hay fever; however, double-flowered cultivars are ranked 4 out of 10 due to producing less pollen. It is planted as a street tree on Depot Street and Matmor Road.
