Unknown fruit trees

[strlit66]

What are these trees? We moved to a new place and I am not sure what these are. My guess is a Mulberry and a Choke cherry. I was wondering if they are edible? I don't want my kids accidentally eating something they should not.

Thanks

[applestar]

2nd one is definitely mulberry -- those ones that look black are the ones you want to pick. They are yummy but you will be competing with all the local birds, squirrels, chipmunks, even groundHOG.

Best to pick them 1st thing in the morning -- and I use the term loosely, the ripe and near ripe ones fall off if you look at them (or touch them). I spread a tarp or sheet underneath to catch the fallen ones. It's almost easier to just shake the branch, but then you end up with bugs, bird poop, spoiled, etc.

Can't tell the other one -- not one I have. If choke cherry, it would be inedibly astringent, I believe.

[GardeningCook]

As applestar pointed out, 2nd pic is definitely a Mulberry, & the darkest ones will be the sweetest.

As for the top photo, it's neither a wild cherry nor a choke cherry (I have both growing here), but truly does (both leaf & fruit) look like a plain old domestic cherry. I doubt it's poisonous, but certainly don't want you taking my word for it. If I were you & didn't want to taste one myself, I'd take a sample of both fruit & leaf & visit my local ag extension office & see what they have to say.

Where are you located?

[strlit66]

Thanks. We are located in Kennewick Washington (south central WA). The cherry like fruit are really tiny, the seed takes up almost the whole fruit. They look like a really really tiny cherry. I tried to look them up myself but with no luck. I might have to take a sample in. Thanks again.

[GardeningCook]

Okay. From the pic the cherries looked fairly large. In that case it most likely IS Wild Black Cherry.

https://www.carolinanature.com/trees/prse.html

[applestar]

I'm not sure about that. Wild Black Cherry fruits in multiple fruit clusters/trusses, and these seem to be in pairs? Also, I thought the leaves don't look as elongated as Wild Black Cherry.

Could these be Prunus avium? It's widely used as rootstock for sweet cherries. P. avium would have serrated soft leaves -- I can't tell from the photo if these have serrated leaves or glossy smooth leaves like Wild Black Cherry...?

[GardeningCook]

I thought the same thing as far as the fruit clusters, but even if not a dedicated Wild Black Cherry, I'm still voting for something in the cherry family.

[strlit66]

I tried to get a better picture of the leaf and berry (sorry not very good). The property we are on has a Bing and a couple of what I call pie cherries on it. I was told it use to be a big orchard with cherries and the previous owner cut most of them down. So I don't know if this is just a weird "volunteer" that sprung up what.

[GardeningCook]

Definitely some type of cherry. I don't think you need worry about anyone getting poisoned from them.

[CharlieBear]

That tree is what was referred to in the past as a male cherry tree. They were used as pollinators for several of the other cherries varieties grown in the maritime NW part of the country back in the day. They are good for nothing except making juice (which is really quite good, but time consuming). Someone who work with my father had one they had kept as a shade tree when they cleared out the old orchard to use for general farming. If you really like the tree for shade etc keep it, otherwise if you can afford to take it down.

[applestar]

Thanks CharlieBear! That's a great bit of info.

[Delvi83]

The first seems to be Acid Cherry (Prunus cerasus), the second is Mulberry...i can't understand if Morus nigra, alba or something else...

[Sweyn]

The first seems to be Acid Cherry (Prunus cerasus), the second is Mulberry...i can't understand if Morus nigra, alba or something else...

The second one seems to be Black Mulberry Morus nigra. I've seen a Red Mulberry tree and its leaves were a different shape from those in the photo, in this discussion. The fact that some of the fruits are black, also suggests that it is a Black Mulberry tree.

The fruits look like they are at different stages of ripening. The black ones would be fully ripe.

[Delvi83]

Yes, i think it could be Morus nigra..

[!potatoes!]

on the other hand, mulberry leaves are highly variable and there are some M. rubra that ripen to black...

[Sweyn]

on the other hand, mulberry leaves are highly variable

Even on the same tree? The Red Mulberry tree that I saw only had oval shaped leaves, like those in the photographs here https://www.sproutdistro.com/2013/08/02/ ... -mulberry/ That link is helpful for identifying Red Mulberries.

and there are some M. rubra that ripen to black...

Yes, I've seen that.

[!potatoes!]

Even on the same tree?

yes, frequently.

[Sweyn]

yes, frequently.

That's weird. Thanks.

Red Mulberry leaves also feel slightly rough, on their undersides.