Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Rosales > Rosaceae > Prunus > Prunus buergerianaPrunus buergerianaSynonyms: Cerasus capricida; Laurocerasus buergeriana (homotypic); Padus buergeriana (homotypic); Prunus adenodonta; Prunus buergeriana nudiuscula; Prunus buergeriana var. nudiuscula; Prunus capricida; Prunus fauriei; Prunus undulata; Prunus undulata f. venosa; Prunus venosa Prunus padus, known as bird cherry, hackberry, hagberry, or Mayday tree, is a species of cherry, native to northern Europe and northern Asia. It is a deciduous small tree or large shrub, 8–16 m tall, which grows south of the Arctic Circle in Britain and northern Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Ukraine. There are also some trees in France, Spain, Portugal, North Italy and in the Balkans. It is the type species of the subgenus Padus, which have flowers in racemes. |
| Edible [1] | May be edible. See the Plants For A Future link below for details. | | Flower Type [1] | Hermaphrodite | | Hazards [1] | Although no specific mention has been seen for this species, it belongs to a genus where most, if not all members of the genus produce hydrogen cyanide, a poison that gives almonds their characteristic flavour. This toxin is found mainly in the leaves and seed and is readily detected by its bitter taste. It is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm but any very bitter seed or fruit should not be eaten. In small quantities, hydrogen cyanide has been shown to stimulate respiration and improve digestion, it is also claimed to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure and even death. | | Leaf Type [1] | Deciduous | | Pollinators [1] | Insects, Lepidoptera | | Structure [1] | Tree | | Usage [1] | A green dye can be obtained from the leaves;
A dark grey to green dye can be obtained from the fruit; |  | | Height [1] | 30 feet (9 m) | View Plants For A Future Record : Prunus buergeriana |
Species taxanomy provided by GBIF Secretariat (2022). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-06-13; License: CC BY 4.0
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