#native black cherry

Amongst the ragwort and violets

Star of Bethlehem, Morana in a blackberry bramble

Morana and my beloved native black cherry

A mixed tree stand of sweet gum and birch covered in trumpet vine, Morana in an alder

(Prunus serotina)

Berries are a food source for many birds and mammals; the tree supports numerous butterfly and moth caterpillars.

Highly valued for furniture, cabinets, and musical instruments due to its fine grain and luster.

While the raw fruit is bitter, it is commonly used to make jams, jellies, and flavored liquors like brandy or rum.

The inner bark is a well-known, historically significant remedy for soothing, irritating coughs, bronchial infections, and asthma. It is used in, and acts as a, natural expectorant and sedative to calm coughing fits.

Extracts from the plant, including the bark and fruits, exhibit anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties, which can aid in managing joint pain and, as used traditionally, labor pains.

Black cherries are rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins, which protect cells from damage and support cardiovascular health.

Traditionally used to aid in treating diarrhea and other digestive issues.

The Iroquois regarded wild cherry trees as inhabited by powerful spirits and used the bark in ceremonies to ward off evil. Associated with Venus, cherries are used in spells for romance, sweetness, and fertility. It is used to help in recovering from relationships that were not beneficial. Cherry-related magic is used to promote clear communication. The bark is used to revitalize magical energy for completing old, stalled projects. Cherries represent the intersection of innocence and knowledge, as well as the fleeting nature of life. Cherry juice is sometimes used as a substitute for blood in spells, and the fruit can be used to charge intentions for manifestation.

(Quick notes found through google. Please use caution and further research before doing your own experimentation with this foraged food).

Smrtná Neděle (Deadly Sunday) (4/6/25)

Under the cherry tree (5/1/25)

Native Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) (6/14/25)

Midsummer Black Cherry Cordial Day 1 🤞 (6/18/25)

Video of black cherry cordial fermenting (6/21/25)

Native Black Cherry Cordial with Elderflower Syrup (6/23/25)

My First Lammas Recipe—and second batch of native black cherry cordial (7/25/25)

Black cherry cordial offering on St. Anne’s Day (7/26/25)

Black Cherry 🍒 Syrup (7/30/25)

Wood Sorrel and Black Cherry “Lemonade” (7/31/25)

Lammas Day Protection and Abundance Ritual (8/2/25)

Consecrating cordial on Lammas eve (8/2/25)

Black Cherry Iced Tea (8/3/25)

Cherry resin (11/28/25)

Six Months in the Making — Native Black Cherry Cordial on St. Barbara’s Night (12/4/25)

A Baking Ritual—Midwinter Fruitcake (12/11/25)

Our Lady of the Abundant Garden (12/16/25)

St. John’s Wine — An At Home Blessing (12/28/25)

Witches’ Nights’ Amulet Bag Complete! (1/13/25)

I wandered around the woods for a bit near the creek with my cat coterie before collecting some cherry branches under the moon before Yule in honor of St. Barbara’s Eve.

Tonight’s 15 minutes is dedicated to @chronichlesofnillory

I found the most immense quantity of low hanging native black cherries this morning that I have ever seen! I am very much hoping that they will ripen in time for me to celebrate midsummer again this year with wild fermented black cherry cordial combined with elderflower syrup. 🤤

Marcy and I went for a short walk after my Mom and I got back from sitting with dad today at St. Vincent’s in Little Rock. He should be transferred to the rehab center here at home tomorrow.

Looks like I’ll be having that wild ferment cordial ready for Midsummer again this year!

New alder cones are starting to develop

More poisonous plants, Carolina horsenettle is a variety of nightshade, and hemp dogbane,which is not just poisonous to dogs, but humans too—and the sap can cause skin blisters!

Canadian meadow garlic, use like chives, medicinal for colds and flu; I gathered a little bit yesterday. It is a different variety than the allium vineale I was gathering in the foothills, so I’ll have to let you know what I think.

I’m keeping an eye on the native black cherries to make wild fermented cordial (😋 🤤), and willow fluff.

The trail was cleared since the last time we attempted to walk it, when much of the trail was blocked by downed trees from a bad spring thunderstorm.

Daisy fleabane, woodpecker holes, tickseed

The black cherry motif is large enough that I’m going to be working on it for days! I’ve worked a lot with this tree this year, so decided it was worth the space, time, and effort.