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Bird Cherry Tree - Description
- Native Irish Bird Cherry Tree
- Latin Name: Prunus Padus
- Common Name: Hackberry Tree or Bird Cherry
- Great For Attracting Native Birds
- Medium Sized Tree
- Form: Single Stemmed, Feathered
- Current Height: 150cm-175cm
- Potted Tree
- Pot Size: 5 Litres
Bird Cherry Tree - Characteristics
- Excellent Spring colour
- Leaf Type: Ovate in shape
- Flowers: Clusters of 5 petaled blooms in Spring
- Flower Colour: Creamy white flower
- Fruit: Flowers are followed by black cherries from July onward
- Berries are popular with birds
- Cherries are bitter to taste
- Bird Cherry Final Size: 8m tall & 4m wide
- Deciduous tree, they lose their leaves in Winter
- Growth rate: Average
- Very hardy tree
- Note: Prunus Padus is not self-fertile
- They will require a second tree to pollinate & produce cherries
Bird Cherry Tree - Uses
- Great for attracting & feeding wild birds
- Popular with birds including
- Pigeons, Robins, Thrushes & Starlings
- Suited to native hedgerows
- Suitable for medium & large sized gardens
- Ideal for nature & wildlife gardens
Bird Cherry Tree - Planting Instructions
Planting Time
- Ideally, plant as soon as arrive
- Potted trees can be planted any time of year
- Best to avoid frosty conditions, where the ground is frozen
- These bird cherry saplings will require several years to mature
Positioning Trees
- Position in sun or partial shade
- Prefers a sheltered spot
- Soil: Likes good, fertile soil with good drainage
- Most commonly found on alkaline soils
- Spacing distance varies on use
- In hedging, space 30cm apart
- On lawns, space 5m apart
- When planting, hold plants at ground level & back fill the top soil
- Ensure each plant is straight & soil is compacted in around it's root ball
- Level off the soil around the plants
- Support with bamboo cane for first 2 years
- Replace cane with larger stake when required
After Care
- Water before & after planting
- Ensure young trees are watered regularly until plants establish
- If dry weather persists, water every 2 days
- Weeding is also essential - especially bind weed which can quickly smoother a young tree
- Keep grass growth away from the base of trees to ensure a faster growth rate
- Avoid strimming around the base of trees
Prunus Padus - Quick Facts
- The Bird Cherry is part of the same family of plants as Cherry Blossoms
- Prunus Padus is less common in Ireland than Prunus Avium
- Bird Cherry timber is very hard, burgundy in colour
- Often used to make smoking pipes
