Wild Berry tree

I have a wild berry tree that is about 30 feet tall, it is about to bloom, the earliest blooming tree in Nova Scotia. it has small cherry blossom type flowers that grow in clusters, when the small cherry like fruit matures it is a dark reddish purple colour they are edible but very tart. Can you tell me what kind of tree I have, there are very few in the area and I don't plan on cutting mine down.

 

Amelanchier alnifolia?

 

The description of "tart" fruit makes it sound like chokecherry, Prunus pennsylvanica. The fruit on Amelanchier alnifolia is sweet, at least when it's ripe, while the fruit on chokecherry is astringent (gives a dry feeling in the mouth) even when ripe.

EDIT: CORRECTION: I meant to say chokecherry, Prunus virginiana, not P. pensylvanica (pin cherry)... (though perhaps it could be a pin cherry if they occur there?)

 

The leaves wouldn't happen to be reddish/purpleish would they? Something like Royal Crabapple? Prunus virginiana? What about Prunus cerasus or P. avium?

 

If the fruit has a single hard seed in the center, like a sweet cherry has, then that would exclude apples/crabapples (including 'Royalty'), and Amelanchier.

 

If it has dark reddish purple leaves, I think I know the tree you are talking about, but I don't know the name either. I had one in my front yard in middle school. Are the fruit basically like a dark cherry with a 1 or 1.5 cm diameter pit?

 

As it is just about to flower could you please add a couple of pics to this thread. A good close up of the leaves and the flowers would really help to pin it down.

 

The pits are about 3-4 mm round, and I'll try and get some pics as soon has the blossoms open.

 

Leaves start off has purple they have a toothed edge, pits about 3-4 mm, maybe 5mm for a bigger berry.

 

I have many pin cherry bushes around and this is definately not one of them, the leaves have a toothed edge, purplish colour at first and then turn green, tree bark is motled, I will try and get some pics as soon as possible.

 

Here is a picture of the tree trunk, might help. leaves hopefully will be open in a few days to week.

 

Have you tried comparing photos of the suggested trees to yours?

Here is chokecherry, P. virginiana:
http://images.google.com/images?cli...iana&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

Here is a red-leafed form of same, 'Shubert':
http://images.google.com/images?cli...bert&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

 

Because MannieBoo says this is the first tree to bloom in Nova Scotia, my money is on some kind of serviceberry, Amalanchier.

There are a few possible species, including canadensis and laevis and arborea. On top of which, they seem to hybridize readily in the wild, so the whole genus is in a state of taxonomic confusion. From the photos, I would guess something other than canadensis, which has a tendency to sucker and form clumps.

Still, they're called "serviceberries" for a reason. When the first European settlers arrived, they were dismayed to find that they could not bury their deceased loved ones in winter because the ground was frozen solid. The earliest sign that the ground had thawed was the blooming of this particular tree or shrub, which became the signal to hold a burial service. And the tree even provided flowers for the occasion. Rather morbid but true. We regard it more happily today.

 

Serviceberries (Amelanchier) have several (5?) small seeds per "berry". If these berries have a single, round pit, then they would not be amelanchier.

 

Their pit is more like a cherry stone.

 

The fruit is about .5-.6 cm with the majority of the size going to the stone pit (like a Cherry) very little flesh.

 

So...
Have you tried comparing photos of some of the more likely suggested trees to yours? Just click on the underlined parts below to see photos for comparison.

Here is chokecherry, P. virginiana:
http://images.google.com/images?clie...N&hl=en&tab=wi

Here is a red-leafed form of same, 'Shubert':
http://images.google.com/images?clie...N&hl=en&tab=wi

 

I believe I have possibly identified my wild berry tree as a Amelanchier Humilis, or commonly known in Nova Scota has Shad bush,
the leaves are fuzzy on the bottom when they first appear, and have th characteristic serrated edging. I have noticed that in past years when it is in bloom it attracts a large group of honey bees from a local apiary. I will continue to post pictures and info as the spring continues. Thanks to all who assisted me in this adventure,
abgardeneer
Joey D
Cape Breton Gardener
Silver Surfer
Kaspian

 

Amelanchier sp. for sure. Which one is another matter, botanists are not even in agreement on how they all shake out. Serrated leaf edges are found in most of them.

 

(merged threads -- keep all discussions on the same topic in one place)

 

I have one in my yard. No leaves or blossoms yet though.

 

My husband is from Cape Breton, he said when they were kids people called the fruits Indian Pears.

 

So then your recollections of the fruit ("The fruit is about .5-.6 cm with the majority of the size going to the stone pit (like a Cherry) very little flesh") must be from some other tree, presumably a Prunus.