Tree 25m tall with oval or pyramidal crown. There are transversal lenticels on the bark. Bark is in youth smooth, later stripping in transverse strips (in the rings). In old age bark is stripping lengthwise. Leaves are simple. Lamina is elliptic, shortly tipped. The leaf margin is dentate or doubly serrate. Petiole has one or two dark red glands. The leaves turn yellow and red in the autumn. The flowers are white (rarely pink). Flowers before budbreaking in April to May. The fruit is dark red to almost black drupe. They are spherical, up to 1,5 cm, shiny, long pedunculated, usually growing 2 together. Stone is spherical to ovoid, smooth, whitish. Shoots: Shoots upright, strong, glabrous and shiny. They are reddish brown,sometimes grey. Lateral branches are generally short. Natural range: Europe (outside southernmost part), the west Asia, north-west Africa; our domestic tree.
Cerasus avium