Cerasus
(said to have been first brought from Cerasus, a town in Pontus, in Asia). Cherry. ORD. Rosaceoe. Hardy deciduous or evergreen shrubs and trees. Flowers white; pedicels one-flowered, rising before the leaves in fascicled umbels from scaly buds, but sometimes rising after the evolution of the leaves in racemes from the tops of the branches. Drupe globose or umbilicate at the base, fleshy, quite glabrous, destitute of bloom, containing a smooth, rather globose, compressed stone. Leaves, when young, conduplicate. By far the larger number of the species are deciduous, but two very important ones are evergreen, viz., the common Laurel (C. Laurocerasus), with its numerous varieties, and the Portugal Laurel (C. lusitanica). The various species and varieties are propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting, or budding. The seeds should be sown in autumn, in beds, or they may be kept till spring. Cuttings should be bedded in a semi-shady position, in autumn, or not later than February, some sharp sand being added to the soil. For culture, &c., of the edible-fruited kinds, see Cherry.
C. Avium (birds'). Wild Cherry, or Gean. fl. rising with the leaves; bud oblong, acute, destitute of leafy scales. April and May. fr. roundish-ovate, depressed, black; flesh adhering to the stone, very succulent and sugary, the juice usually coloured. l. oval-lanceolate, pointed, serrated, somewhat pendent, slightly pubescent on the under side, and furnished with two glands at the base. h. 20ft. to 40ft. England. Deciduous.
C. A. multiplex (double-flowered).* fl. smaller than the type, ovate, bearing two or three glands at the base.
C. Caproniana.* Common Cherry. fl. rising with the leaves; calyx large, campanulate; peduncles usually thick, stiffish, not long. Spring. fr. globose, depressed, with the suture hardly depressed; flesh soft, more or less acid and styptic. l. oval-lanceolate, toothed, glabrous. h. 15ft. to 20ft. Europe. Small tree, with spreading branches. Of this deciduous species, innumerable varieties have been raised. The most important of the fruit-bearing sorts will be found described under Cherry. The double-flowered variety (multiplex) is very showy, and useful for forcing and for shrubberies (SYN. C. ranunculiflora). (F. d. S. 1805.)
C. caroliniana (Carolina).* fl. rather large; racemes axillary, dense, shorter than the leaves. May. fr. nearly globose, mucronate. l. evergreen, on short petioles, oblong-lanceolate, mucronate, smooth, rather coriaceous, almost entire. North America, 1759.
C. Chamaecerasus. Ground Cherry. fl. umbellate; umbels usually sessile; peduncles longer than the leaves when in fruit. May. fr. round, reddish-purple, very acid. l. obovate, shining, crenated, bluntish, quite glabrous, rather coriaceous, hardly glandular. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1597. Deciduous. There is a creeping form, pendula, and another with variegated leaves.
C. depressa (depressed). fl. white; umbels few-flowered, sessile-aggregate. May. fr. ovate. l. lanceolate-cuneated, a little serrated, glabrous, glaucous beneath. Branches angular, depressed, prostrate. North America, 1805. Deciduous. The correct name of this plant is Prunus pumila.
C. duracina (hard).* fl. white, rising with the leaves; peduncles long, slender. April. fr. heart-shaped; suture much depressed, rarely almost obsolete; flesh hard and brittle. Branches ascending when young, but in the adult state hardly spreading. h. 10ft. to 20ft. A large, deciduous tree. SYN. Prunus Cerasus Bigarella. It is probable that this species, crossed with C. Avium, has produced the Bigarreau and Heart Cherries. C. ilicifolia (Holly-leaved). fl. white, small, in racemes 1/2in. to 2in. long. March to May. fr. large, 1/2in. or more thick, usually red, sometimes dark purple or black. California. An ornamental shrub, with shining dark evergreen foliage; excellent for corridor or conservatory. In the open air, it requires a wall, and extra shelter during winter. SYN. Prunus ilicifolia.
C. Juliana (St. Julian's) fl. rising with the leaves. fr. ovate, depressed, heart-shaped; flesh sweet, rather soft. Branches ascending when young, but when in an adult state hardly spreading. h. 20ft. to 40ft. South Europe. The varieties of this deciduous species--frequently, and probably correctly, classed as forms of C. Avium--are known as Guigniers, or Heaumiers.
C. Laurocerasus.* Common Laurel. fl. white; racemes shorter than the leaves. April and May. fr. ovate, acute. l. ovate-lanceolate, remotely-serrated, furnished with two or four glands beneath. h. 6ft. to 10ft. Levant, 1629. Evergreen shrub. The following varieties are found in gardens, and are all useful for extensive planting in shrubberies or woodlands: angustifolia (narrow-leaved); camellioefolia (camellia-leaved); caucasica (Caucasian); colchica (Colchican), very useful; rotundifolia (round-leaved), and variegata (variegated-leaved).
C. lusitanica (Portuguese).* Portugal Laurel. fl. white; racemes erect, axillary, longer than the leaves. June. fr. ovate, red when ripe. l. evergreen, ovate-lanceolate, serrated, glandless. h. 10ft. to 20ft. Portugal, 1648. This is one of the most excellent shrubs grown. There is a variety named myrtifolia (Myrtle-leaved) which produces smaller leaves, and is of compact growth. It is frequently called the Upright Portugal Laurel.
C. Mahaleb (Mahaleb). fl. white; racemes somewhat corymbose, leafy. April and May. fr. ovate-roundish, black, yielding a bitter purple juice, the stain of which is not easily effaced. l. broad, roundish-cordate, denticulated, glandular, folded together, h. 10ft. South Europe, 1714. The wood is red, very hard, and sweet-scented. Deciduous.
C. occidentalis (Western).* fl. white; racemes lateral. l. evergreen, glandless, oblong, acuminated, quite entire, glabrous on both surfaces. h. 20ft. West Indies, 1784. Stove evergreen tree.
C. Padus. Common Padus, Bird Cherry, or Hagberry. fl. white; racemes terminal, elongated, leafy, drooping. April and May. fr. round, black, nauseous to most palates, but, infused in gin or whiskey, it greatly improves these spirits. l. ovate-lanceolate, rather acuminated. h. 10ft. to 30ft. Britain. There are numerous forms of this deciduous species, including the following: argentea (silver-blotched-leaved), aucuboefolia (Aucuba-leaved), bracteosa (long-bracted), heterophylla (various-leaved), parviflora (small-flowered), and rubra (red).
C. pendula (drooping). A synonym of Prunus subhirtella.
C. pseudo-cerasus.* Bastard Cherry. fl. white, racemose. April and May. Branches and peduncles pubescent. fr. pale red, small, of a pleasant sub-acid flavour, with a very small stone. l. obovate, acuminated, flat, serrated. Branches and peduncles pubescent. h. 6ft. to 10ft. China, 1819. This deciduous species bears forcing well. SYN. Prunus paniculata. (B. R. 800.)
C. ranunculiflora (Ranunculus-flowered). A synonym of C. Caproniana multiplex.
C. salicina (Willow-leaved). fl. white, small, usually solitary shorter than the leaves. April. fr. about the size of that of the Myrobalan Plum. l. obovate, acuminated, glandularly serrated, glabrous; stipules subulate, glandular, length of the petiole. h. 4ft. to 6ft. China, 1822. Half-hardy deciduous.
C. semperflorens (every-flowering). All Saints', Ever-flowering, or Weeping Cheery. fl. white, axillary, solitary. May. fr. red, small, round, watery, of but little value. l. ovate, serrated Branches drooping. h. 10ft. to 20ft. 1822. (W. D. B. 131.) The variety aurea variegata (golden-variegated) is very handsome.
C. serotina (late). fl. white, in racemes terminating leafy branches. fr. purplish-black. l. lanceolate-oblong, acuminate serrated, with incurved, short, or callous teeth. Eastern United States. A large deciduous tree, furnishing valuable timber. (W. D. B. 48.)
C. serrulata (saw-leaved).* Double Chinese Cherry. fl. pale white or rose-tinted, double, disposed in fascicles. April. l. obovate, acuminated, setaceously serrulated, quite glabrous; petioles glandular. h. 15ft. China, 1822. SYN. C. Sieboldii. Deciduous. (R. H. 1866, 371.)
C. Sieboldii (Siebold's). Synonymous with C. serrulata.
C. sphaerocarpa (round-fruited). fl. white; racemes axillary, erect, small, shorter than the leaves. June and July. fr. nearly globose, purple when ripe. l. glandless, shining, about 2in. long and 1 1/2in. broad. h. 10ft. to 12ft. Jamica, 1820. Stove evergreen.
C. virginiana (Virginian). Choke-Cherry. fl. white; racemes erect, elongated. May and June. fr. globose, red. l. oblong, acuminated, doubly-toothed, smooth; petioles usually bearing about four glands. Wood beautifully veined with black and white. h. 20ft. to 80ft. Eastern United States, 1724. Deciduous.