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Wild Cherry
(Prunus avium)

Scots name: Gean

Deciduous tree with round red fruit which has high timber value.
Height up to 5m and age up to 200 years.
Reddish brown wood used for furniture, veneers and panelling. The wood polishes up really well.

Used as firewood, it burns well and is very fragrant.
The edible fruit is readily eaten by birds and the seed spread.
The purplish - brown bark pels in horizontal stripes.



Leaf and cherries

Folklore

Cherries used to flavour alcoholic drinks and the resin from the tree was used by children as chewing gum and also used
as a treatment for coughs. The bark was used for a light coloured textile dye, while the roots produced a reddish - purple colour.