Prunus virginiana, commonly known as Western Chokecherry, is a deciduous shrub native to forest edges, open woodlands, and riparian areas across North America. It typically grows to 1–6 meters (3–19 feet 8 inches) tall, but can occasionally reach heights of 10 meters (33 feet) and, in rare cases, up to 18 meters (60 feet) with a trunk diameter up to 30 centimeters (12 inches). The Western Chokecherry is notable for its clusters of small white flowers that bloom in late spring, followed by dark purple berries that are a valuable food source for wildlife but are astringent to humans when raw. The bark is dark and rough, adding to its winter interest.

Western Chokecherry is appreciated for its ornamental features, including the attractive spring flowers and the bright fall foliage of cultivars like ’Canada Red’ and ’Schubert’, which display leaves that mature to purple and turn orange and red in the autumn. ’Goertz’ offers palatable, nonastringent fruit. This plant is used for naturalistic plantings and as wildlife habitat, and it can be a useful component in windbreaks or for erosion control. It thrives in full sun to part shade and grows best in soils with medium drainage. Gardeners should be aware that the stone of the fruit is toxic if ingested. Prunus virginiana should be monitored outside its native range to prevent spread.CC BY-SA 4.0