Bird Cherry
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 Bird Cherry flowers
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| Prunus padus L. |
The Bird Cherry (Prunus padus; syn. Cerasus padus (L., Prunus racemosa Lam.) Delarbre) is a species of bird cherry, native to northern Europe and northern Asia. It is the type species of the subgenus Padus with flowers in racemes, and is a deciduous small tree or large shrub 8-16 m tall.
The English name refers to the fruit, which are very astringent and bitter, unsuitable for human food, but readily eaten by birds, which do not taste astringency as unpleasant. In spite of this characteristic, it was used medicinally during the Middle Ages, and the bark, placed at the door, was supposed to ward off the plague.
There are two varieties:
- European Bird Cherry Prunus padus var. padus. Europe and western Asia.
- Asian Bird Cherry Prunus padus var. commutata. Eastern Asia.
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