Why are bird cherry's elongated berries ugly? Why bird cherry does not bloom: identifying and eliminating the causes of the problem

The anomalous natural phenomenon was confirmed by the deputy head of the administration of the Bodaibinsky district of the Irkutsk region, Alexey Savinykh. According to him, residents of Bisyaga are worried, calling and writing letters to the regional center demanding that they clarify whether this is dangerous. However, the administration workers themselves do not know what to think. Just in case, they recommended not to collect the fruits or eat them, and they intend to soon turn to Irkutsk University for advice - let the scientists sort it out, they say.
“Apparently, the residents of the village encountered a plant mutation,” says Alexander Parshin, Doctor of Biological Sciences, professor at Moscow State University. - There may be several reasons. As you know, scientists around the world are actively engaged in genetic modifications of plants. As far as I know, for several years now the Novosibirsk Branch of the Academy of Sciences has been conducting experiments on breeding varieties of garden plants that are genetically resistant to various diseases - cherries, currants, bird cherry. In the Novosibirsk Botanical Garden of the NO RAS, cherry selection is carried out using bird cherry genes. Probably, scientific experiments somehow went beyond greenhouses and conservatories and touched upon living nature.
Another possible reason is environmental pollution in the area. There are known facts when, due to the presence of large amounts of heavy metals in soil and water, plants began to change their appearance, color, and chemical composition. Of course, this situation requires the close attention of scientists.
Another point of view is shared by Leonid Speransky, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Deputy Director of the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences:
- “Trud” wrote about the fall of an unknown body, conventionally called the Vitim fireball, about a year ago in the Bodaibinsky district of the Irkutsk region. Several expeditions visited the crash site. It was possible to find out that the space guest was most likely an icy comet. Expedition members complained of symptoms of severe poisoning. Some even had to be hospitalized. The reason for this was the bitter snow from which they made water and drank. As it turned out later, the snow was literally stuffed with tritium, an extremely rare substance found in free form. This is super-heavy radioactive hydrogen, which in the Bodaibo taiga has nowhere to come from except from space. Since tritium has a half-life of more than 12 years, it could remain in the soil, in the water and somehow affect the flora and fauna of the area. The bird cherry mutation is another reason to organize the next expedition to the site of last year’s incident.

We recognize this tree primarily by its flowers - white, sometimes pinkish, fragrant racemes. Bird cherry blossoms at the very moment when spring comes into its own - a temporary cooling occurs, immediately followed by almost summer warmth. The blond beauty is good in hedges, in single and group plantings, and near water...

The genus and its representatives

Olga Nikitina

Rod Cheremukha ( Padus) belongs to the large family Rosaceae and has 20 species, which mainly grow in East Asia and North America. The genus includes deciduous trees, less often shrubs with simple serrated leaves. The flowers are white, fragrant, collected in racemes, the fruit is a juicy drupe.

Bird cherry trees usually grow on fertile soils with excess flowing moisture or in the mountains - on rocky slopes and screes. In forests they can be found on the edges or among bushes.

The wood of representatives of this genus is diffusely porous, with a reddish-brown core, dense, and in some species with a pleasant odor. Used for small crafts such as smoking pipes, as well as for making bent furniture and turning products.

In culture, bird cherry trees have long been used as trees that bloom profusely in spring, which at this time can outshine many other tree and shrub species in their appearance. They are planted in both pure and mixed groups. As for bird cherry fruits, in most species they are attractive only to birds, although some garden centers now offer large-fruited varieties that are palatable.

Bird cherry is an unpretentious tree species. It is undemanding to soil and watering, and can grow both in well-lit places and in partial shade. But, of course, it develops better in nutritious, moderately moist soils and in good light. Mature plants provide a lot of shade, and this must be taken into account when building compositions using bird cherry trees.

Bird cherry leaf litter helps improve litter, as its leaves are rich in lime, potassium and nitrogen.
Caring for bird cherry is simple; it consists mainly of loosening the soil around the plant and removing weeds, as well as applying root and foliar fertilizers. If necessary, carry out sanitary and formative pruning.

Bird cherry leaf litter helps improve litter, as its leaves are rich in lime, potassium and nitrogen.

Among the species diversity of the genus in our country, the most widespread is h. ordinary (P. rasemosa), the range of which in the north reaches the forest-tundra, in the east - to the Yenisei River, in the south - to the forests of the Caucasus. This tree is up to 17 m high, with a broadly ovate crown, the trunk is covered with brown-black cracking bark. During flowering, Ch. vulgaris is covered with white fragrant racemes up to 12 cm long and turns into a fairy-tale beauty. The black drupes that ripen towards the end of summer are pecked with pleasure by birds, and in Siberia and the Urals local residents use them for food, grinding them into flour suitable for filling pies and jelly.

Among the decorative varieties of black cherry, the most interesting and original are considered to be ‘ Colorata' And ' Purple Queen’, having oval copper-purple leaves, especially bright when blooming, and pinkish inflorescences. The big disadvantage is the abundant root growth that has to be dealt with. But groups and single plantings involving these bird cherry trees turn out to be very attractive. There are also a number of beautifully flowering varieties: ‘ Plena’ – with large double flowers; ‘ Watereri’ – with multi-flowered inflorescences up to 20 cm long; ‘ Alberti’ – with an unusual vertical crown.

Bird cherry Maak (P. maackii) is a tree up to 15 m high, with a spreading loose crown, growing in the Ussuri taiga. It is distinguished by exfoliating bronze bark, reminiscent of birch. The leaves are elliptical, up to 10 cm long, on long petioles, finely serrated along the edges. In autumn they turn yellow. Flower brushes are denser than the previous type. Bird cherry Poppy is a very winter-hardy and fast-growing tree species. These properties of I.V. Michurin used it in breeding high-yielding, cold-resistant sweet varieties of cherries. Bird cherry Poppy is indispensable for landscape parks and urban landscaping. She is especially good in bouquet plantings, which can be admired in the Biryulevsky Arboretum in Moscow.

Bird cherry finely serrated (P. serrulata) - a tree up to 25 m high, with an ovoid crown, growing in the Primorsky Territory and Sakhalin. The trunk is covered with smooth brownish-gray bark. The leaves are elliptical, with a strongly retracted tip, bronze in color when blooming, light green and orange in summer, violet-brown in autumn. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, white or pink, collected in few-flowered racemes of 2–4 pieces. It is considered one of the most beautifully flowering bird cherry trees, but is less frost-resistant than previous species.

Bird cherry syori (P. ssiori) is a low tree with dark gray bark, growing on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. The leaves are elliptical or ovate, up to 14 cm long. White, small flowers are collected in multi-flowered narrow cone-shaped racemes up to 15 cm long. It is considered a very frost-resistant species.

Bird cherry magalepka, or antipka (P. mahaleb), is a low bush-like tree with a spherical crown. The bark is dark brown, smelling of coumarin. Grows in the Tien Shan, Pamir-Alai, eastern Transcaucasia, Crimea. One of the most drought-resistant species. From the leaves and fruits, fragrant water is obtained by distillation, used in perfumery. Unlike many other types of bird cherry, it does not produce root suckers and tolerates shearing well, so it is used to create tall hedges, including clipped ones.

North American species such as part late, Part virginia, h. Pennsylvanian.

Late bird cherry (P. serotina) is a fast-growing tree up to 30 m high, with dark brown, finely fissured, aromatic bark. It is very decorative because of its shiny dark green foliage, which turns an intense light yellow color in the fall. In the USA, pink-brown wood of this type is highly valued and is widely used in furniture production and finishing work.

Bird cherry virginia (P. virginiana) - a tree up to 15 m high with a broadly ovoid crown. The trunk is covered with finely scaly black bark with an unpleasant odor. Its dark red drupes are not only beautiful, but also edible. Often used in green building, especially decorative deciduous varieties:

‘Canada Red’ is a shrub up to 5 m high. When blooming, the leaves are green, then become dark burgundy. Looks great during flowering, when white, racemose inflorescences appear on the branches;

‘Schubert’ is a shrub up to 3–4 m high. The leaves are glossy, red-violet, up to 10 cm long. The only drawback of these varieties is that they produce abundant root shoots.

Pennsylvania bird cherry ( P. pensilvanica) - a tree up to 13 m high with a narrow ovoid crown. The trunk is covered with dark brown aromatic bark. The white flowers are collected in very short racemes, more like an umbrella, so some taxonomists classify this species as belonging to the genus Cherry.

Pennsylvania bird cherry is quite suitable for solitary planting, in groups and trimmed hedges.

Bird cherry
Bird cherry
Bird cherry ‘Colorata’

Bird cherry maaka
Bird cherry Maak
Bird cherry virginia

Bird cherry diseases

Ella Sokolva, Candidate of Biological Sciences

Diseases of fungal origin predominate on both wild and ornamental bird cherry species growing in Russia. The degree of harm they cause depends both on the biological characteristics of the pathogens and the affected bird cherry species, and on environmental conditions.

Fruit grower diseases

Fruit deformation (pockets). The causative agent is a fungus Taphrina pruni. In affected fruits, increased growth of the fleshy part - the ovary - occurs and the development of the stone is suppressed. As a result, diseased fruits take on the appearance of ugly brown sac-like structures, hollow inside - pockets. The massive development of the disease leads to a decrease in yield, and in urban plantings - to a loss of decorativeness of trees.

Leaf diseases

Leaf rust . The causative agent is a fungus Thecopsora pad i (= Th. areolata). It alternately develops on cones of spruce and bird cherry. Bird cherry leaves become infected from diseased spruce cones. In summer, small, angular, red-purple spots form on the undersides of the leaves. Later, dark reddish-brown spots appear on the upper side.

The disease occurs in forests and forest parks.

Hole spot (clusterosporiosis) leaves. The causative agent is a fungus Clusterosporium carpophilum (= Stigmina carpophila). At the beginning of summer, rounded light brown spots with a red-brown or crimson border, 2–5 mm in diameter, form on the leaves. With severe development of the disease, numerous spots along the edges of the leaves and near the main vein merge. After the spots fall out, round holes remain in their place, as a result of which the affected leaves look as if they had been eaten by leaf-eating insects.

Brown leaf spot . The causative agent is a fungus Gloeosporium padi. In the second half of summer, large rounded brown or brown-green spots appear on the leaves. On the upper side of the spots, sporulation of the fungus forms in the form of numerous small yellowish-brown pads. With severe development of the disease, the spots merge, covering almost the entire surface of the leaves.

Orange leaf spot . The causative agent is a fungus Polystigma ochraceum. In the second half of summer, round or angular spots with a diameter of up to 10 mm, flat or slightly convex, appear on the leaves of common bird cherry. At first they are bright orange, later they acquire a red-brown color. Often numerous spots merge, covering most of the leaf surface. The disease is widespread in Siberia and the Far East.

Purple leaf spot . The causative agent is a fungus Asteroma padi. Common bird cherry is affected. In the second half of summer, large round grayish-violet or brown-violet spots with a diameter of up to 15 mm, with blurry edges, often covering almost the entire surface of the leaves, form on the leaves.

Spotting leads to a decrease in the decorative value of trees and premature leaf fall. To protect against spotting, it is necessary to rake and destroy fallen leaves. In case of systematic damage, the crowns are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or Fundazol in the summer.

Monilial burn (moniliosis). The causative agent is a fungus Monilia laxa. Flowers, leaves, shoots, and fruits are affected. In the spring, the flowers turn brown and dry up, and later the leaves and young shoots, which often remain hanging on the tree until the next spring. Sick trees look like they have been damaged by frost or fire. The disease develops most actively in conditions of high humidity.

To protect against moniliosis, it is necessary to prune dried shoots and branches, and in the spring, before and after flowering, spray the crowns with Bordeaux mixture.

Diseases of trunks and branches

Cytospore necrosis (cytosporosis) of trunks and branches. The causative agent is fungi from the genus Cytospora. The affected bark of trunks and branches dies around their circumference or in individual areas. In the dead bark, sporulation of pathogens is formed, which look like numerous small conical tubercles, completely covering the affected areas. Fungal spores emerging on the surface of the bark look like reddish or bright red drops or flagella.

Cytosporosis affects trees against the background of preliminary weakening, accelerates it and often leads to the death of plants.

Limiting the spread of cytosporosis is facilitated by the creation of optimal conditions for the growth and development of plants, timely pruning of affected and withered branches, which are a source of infection.

Gum treatment . The disease manifests itself in the release of a sticky amber-yellow or brown liquid – gum – on various plant organs. The release of gum is accompanied by some infectious diseases of bird cherry: clasterosporiasis, moniliosis, cytosporosis, as well as mechanical damage, frost-sunburn, etc. Gum discharge contributes to the death of shoots and branches.

The fight against gum deposition includes: prevention of mechanical damage; carrying out a set of measures to protect against pests and diseases; creating optimal conditions for the growth and development of plants.
Brown rot of roots. The causative agent is the tinder fungus Schweinitz ( Phaeolus schweinitzii). Rot develops in the central part of the roots and trunks. At the base of the trunks, large funnel-shaped yellow-brown, velvety fruiting bodies of the fungus are formed. Old bird cherry trees in forest and parkland plantations are affected. Sick trees fall out with the wind, and in more rare cases, dry out.

Trunk rot Bird cherry is caused by various wood-destroying fungi, of which the most common are: plum tinder fungus ( Phellinus tuberculosus), sulfur-yellow tinder fungus ( Laetiporus sulphureus), false tinder fungus ( Phellinus igniarius), chondrostereum purpurea ( Chondrostereum purpureum).

Stem rot contributes to brown wood, which poses a great danger in urban plantings and on private property. Therefore, trees showing signs of rot must be taken under control and, if there is a real threat, they must be removed.

Fruit deformation (pockets)
Orange leaf spot
Fruiting bodies of the sulfur-yellow tinder fungus

Bird cherry pests

Tamara Galasyeva, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences

Of the bird cherry pests, more than a hundred species of insects and herbivorous mites are known, damaging almost all vegetative and generative organs of the plant: buds, leaves, shoots, flowers, fruits and trunks. Most bird cherry pests are polyphagous, i.e. they also feed on other types of woody plants, especially those belonging to the Rosaceae family.

Sucking pests

Sucking insects and mites feed on sap from buds, leaves, shoots, branches and trunks.

These include several species of coccids (scale insects, false scale insects), mealybugs), aphids, psyllids and herbivorous bugs. Most of them can also be found on other species: apple scale, willow scale, hall scale, Ussuri scale insect, peach scale (false scale, grass-cherry aphid, etc. With mass reproduction of sucking pests, curvature of shoots, twisting, yellowing and drying of leaves are observed.

Leaf-eating insects

These insects damage buds, leaves, flowers and green shoots. Caterpillars of the gray pocket moth feed on bird cherry flowers. The shoots are eaten by the larvae of the bird cherry shoot weevil. Caterpillars of butterflies, larvae of sawflies and leaf beetles feed on the leaves. Several dozen species are known from the following families of butterflies: crested butterflies, bear moths, leaf rollers, waveflies, ermine moths, white butterflies and several species of sawflies, including true sawflies and sawfly weavers. The leaves are skeletonized by the larvae of the bird cherry leaf beetle.

In bird cherry thickets and on separately growing trees, outbreaks of mass reproduction of hawthorn and bird cherry moths sometimes occur. The caterpillars of these butterfly species live and feed in web nests, weaving together several leaves on a branch or shoots.

Miners and gall formers

Miners are insects whose larvae feed inside leaf tissue and form mines of various colors and shapes in the leaves. There are several known species of insect miners, the most common of which is the apple leaf miner, which forms long narrow mines on the leaves.

Galls on bird cherry leaves are created mainly by herbivorous mites. Galls in the form of small whitish or pinkish horns up to 4 mm high are formed by the bird cherry gall mite. Galls in the form of small white or brown felts on the lower, less often the upper side of the leaves belong to the bird cherry felt mite.

Stem pests

Pests of wood and bark of trunks and branches are classified as xylophagous insects, or stem pests. Several dozen species from the families of bark beetles (genus Scolytus, Anisandrus, Lymantor, Polygraphus) and longhorned beetles (genus Pogonocherus). They all settle on drying and withered trunks and branches.

Pests of fruits and seeds

Pests of fruits and seeds are called carpophages. The pulp of the fruit is eaten by the larvae of the cherry fruit sawfly, and the contents of the seeds are eaten by the larvae of the stone beetle.

Bird cherry fruits are pecked by birds and eaten by many mammals - from chipmunks and squirrels to bears.

Bird cherry crown damaged by bird cherry moth
Web nest of bird cherry moth with its caterpillars
Hawthorn butterflies

Galls of the bird cherry gall mite
Apple leaf miner mine
Galls of the bird cherry felt mite

Bird cherry in landscape design

Olga Nikitina

In former times, bird cherry was an indispensable attribute of Russian gardens; it was praised as an elegant tree with an openwork crown, with snow-white clusters of inflorescences and an intoxicating aroma, and was valued for its medicinal tart berries. Nowadays, ordinary bird cherry is no longer in fashion. Due to its lush crown, the tree takes up too much space in the garden; moreover, it has become familiar, has become familiar and is no longer perceived as a miracle.

However, romantics and lovers of natural beauty still freeze with delight at the sight of a flirtatious beauty dressed in a dress made of white flowers. Specially bred varieties of bird cherry are popular, characterized by abundant and long-lasting flowering, large inflorescences, and unusual coloring of flowers and leaves.

Landing place

You can plant bird cherry in any corner of the garden. It is good near the house, traditionally grows in places for secluded recreation; its spreading and dense crown will successfully cover an unaesthetic building or a rickety fence. The sight of a blooming bird cherry is a magnificent sight, so it will not get lost even in the most remote place.

This tree is often used to decorate forest areas, where it is planted in the undergrowth, grouped in forest edges, and grown near water. Bird cherry is very appropriate when creating a garden of the traditional Russian style in combination with birch, rowan, fruit trees, serviceberry, viburnum, rose hips, lilac and mock orange.

Bird cherry looks beautiful in an open place; here the lush and spreading crown looks most advantageous. For a small area, one tree is enough, then all its beauty will be revealed against the backdrop of a well-groomed lawn. The openwork clean groups of bird cherry trees are charming; some species are suitable for alley plantings.

Companion plants

In mixed group plantings, this tree goes well with many species, although it grows strongly with age, casting a vast shadow. During its flowering period, bird cherry looks like the undisputed dominant of the group, covered with the foam of snow-white inflorescences emitting an intoxicating aroma. As it fades, it becomes a calm green background for other plants.

When selecting companions for bird cherry, preference should be given to deciduous and ornamental plants with spectacular color or leaf shape, as well as trees and shrubs that bloom at other times.

Depending on the desired decorative effect, bird cherry can be formed either on a trunk or in the form of a bush. Bird cherry's hardiness and ability to withstand pruning allow it to be used to create tall green walls and shaped hedges. Since the plant is quite light-loving, the lower part of the hedge becomes bare over time. To avoid a decrease in decorative value, it is recommended to cover exposed trunks with a layer of hedges made of bushes.

Bird cherry berries

Bird cherry berries, with a large stone and almost no pulp, are of little interest to gourmets, but are extremely attractive to birds. So, having planted bird cherry in your garden, you can be sure that bird trills will certainly sound here.

Those who want to plant bird cherry not only as an ornamental, but also as a food crop, should pay attention to large-fruited varieties. Modern cultivated varieties have rather large berries, with a more delicate taste, which has more viscosity than astringency, and up to 20 kg of harvest can be harvested from one tree.

Depending on the desired decorative effect, bird cherry can be formed either on a trunk or in the form of a bush.

Growing conditions

Bird cherry is very unpretentious, and growing it does not cause much trouble. This crop tolerates shading, is undemanding to the amount of moisture and soil fertility, tolerates urban conditions well, and is very winter-hardy. A well-developed root system allows it to withstand both drought and temporary waterlogging. The leaves, flowers and fruits of bird cherry contain benzoaldehyde, which makes them phytoncidic. The plant secretes phytoncides that kill pathogenic bacteria, which is why bird cherry is little damaged by diseases and pests and even purifies the air around it.

Types and varieties

The most common bird cherry is common, or bird cherry. It blooms early, immediately after the first leaves appear, and therefore looks most impressive. U h. ordinary several attractive ornamental varieties in demand in landscaping.

‘Watereri’ – English variety of the common variety. It is distinguished by multi-flowered inflorescences up to 18–20 cm long, which usually do not droop and are located almost horizontally.

‘Plen a’ has large semi-double flowers. Flowering is not as abundant as that of simple varieties, but longer. The greatest value is the flowers themselves, which look like small roses, and therefore to plant this tree you need to choose a place where you can see such beauty.

‘Colorata’ – one of the most interesting and spectacular varieties of bird cherry, selected in Sweden. The bark and shoots are purple or dark purple; The leaves are bright purple when they bloom, becoming dark green with purple veins in summer. The buds are red, the blossoming flowers are pink, the autumn color of the leaves is pink-red, the fruits are dark red. Later developed variety ‘Purple Queen’ differs in more intense coloring.

U part virginia the flowers are smaller, but they are located in the racemes much more densely. Flowering occurs two weeks later, after the leaves have fully bloomed, which greatly reduces the decorative effect. The most interesting are the red-leaved varieties of this bird cherry:

‘Schubert’ - an American variety with decorative leaf color, green when blooming, then darkening to brownish-burgundy.

U ‘Canada Red’ When blooming, the leaves are also green, later turning burgundy.

Virginia bird cherry easily crosses with black cherry, producing hybrids with intermediate characteristics.

‘Siberian beauty’– a domestic variety bred from crossing the common thorn with the variety ‘Schubert’ including virginia. Young leaves are green, then the upper side of the leaf blade becomes dark purple in color, and the lower side becomes light purple. The play of colors observed on a windy day looks very impressive and unusual.

Other species are also in demand in landscaping, such as bird cherry Maka, late, and syori.

Healing properties of bird cherry

Marina Kulikova, Candidate of Biological Sciences

Flowers, leaves, and bark of bird cherry are used for medicinal purposes, but bird cherry has found its way into the modern pharmacopoeia thanks to the healing properties of its fruits, which can be considered one of the oldest medicines (they were used by Stone Age man, as evidenced by the results of archaeological excavations ). These fruits have a specific astringent taste and are unlikely to have been consumed as a delicacy.

When using bird cherry for medicinal purposes, it is necessary to strictly follow the collection rules and dosage, since the seeds, flowers, leaves and bark contain the glycoside amygdalin, which can be broken down into glucose and hydrocyanic acid, which is very poisonous. Bird cherry preparations are contraindicated during pregnancy.

Ripe fruits should be collected in dry weather. The best time to collect is in the morning (after the dew has gone) and at the end of the day. The raw material has a faint odor and a sour-sweet taste. Whitish-gray or reddish deposits of crystallized sugar are visible in the folds of dry fruits.

Fruit laid out on baking sheets and dried in dryers (ovens) at a temperature of 40–50 ° C, after which they can be stored for three years. Tannins, amygdalin glycosides, prulaurasin, and prunasin, flavonoids, phytoncides, vitamin C, malic and citric acid, sugars, various mineral elements, including such rare ones as molybdenum, strontium, titanium, were found in the fruits.

A decoction of bird cherry fruits, due to the presence of tannins and organic acids in them, has a pronounced astringent and anti-inflammatory effect. It is used in the treatment of non-infectious diarrhea, dyspepsia, disorders of the stomach and intestines, and dysentery.

Anthocyanins with P-vitamin activity strengthen capillaries. The combination of tannins and anthocyanins provides a sustainable anti-inflammatory effect. An infusion in the form of a lotion is an effective remedy for blepharoconjunctivitis. The fruits are part of stomach tea. The juice is prescribed as a diaphoretic, antiscorbutic, diuretic, and antituberculosis agent; mixed with blueberry juice, it is indicated for gastrointestinal diseases accompanied by diarrhea. In addition, it is used for fever, metabolic disorders, gangrene, and pulmonary tuberculosis.

Decoction of bird cherry fruits: 10 g of dry fruits (1 tbsp) are poured into 200 ml of boiling water and boiled for 10–15 minutes. Then filter. Take 1/3 cup 2-3 times a day before meals. When brewing, tannins pass into the decoction, but the seeds must remain whole to avoid extraction of amygdalin, a source of hydrocyanic acid.

Infusion of bird cherry fruits: 10 g (1 tbsp) of the raw material is placed in an enamel bowl, poured with 200 ml of hot boiled water, covered with a lid and heated in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, infused at room temperature for 45 minutes, filtered, and squeezed. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted to 200 ml with boiled water. The prepared infusion is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days. Take 1/2 cup a day 30 minutes before meals as an astringent.

Koru And young shoots Bird cherry is also used in folk medicine. They are harvested before the leaves bloom - at the end of April. Then they are cut into small pieces, dried for 24 hours, and then dried in the oven at 50–60 °C. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years. In addition to the chemical composition already described, the bark also contains hydrocyanic acid.

The bark is used in homeopathy as a tonic and sedative for headaches, heart diseases, and gastrointestinal tract diseases. In folk medicine - for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, leucorrhoea, intermittent fever, respiratory infections, suffocation, stomach cramps; decoction - for dysentery, bronchitis, as a diuretic and diaphoretic; infusion - for rinsing with toothache; rubbing – for rheumatism and dermatoses.

Decoction of bird cherry bark: 10 g of crushed raw materials are boiled in 200 ml of water for 10 minutes, left for 2 hours, then filtered. Take 1 teaspoon 3-4 times a day.

Flowers harvested at the beginning of flowering. Dry under a canopy in a well-ventilated area. Shelf life of raw materials is 1 year. The leaves and flowers contain essential oil, which includes the glycoside prunasin, which provides their scent, as well as ammonia, isoamylamine, trimethylamine, and vitamin C. A decoction of flowers is used in folk medicine for pulmonary tuberculosis; wounds, ulcers, and eyes are washed with the infusion.

Infusion of flowers: 10 g of raw material is poured into 200 ml of boiling water, left for 10 minutes, then filtered.

The flowers have a strong smell, and large bouquets placed in rooms can give you a headache. The leaves also secrete a large amount of phytoncides. In this case, hydrocyanic acid acts as a phytoncide, gradually being cleaved from the glycoside contained in the leaves. Phytoncides kill not only various bacteria, but also some insects.

Leaves Bird cherry trees are also collected during the flowering period. Dried in the shade under a canopy, after drying, crushed and stored for no more than 2 years. A decoction of the leaves is used for diarrhea in children; locally - for furunculosis. Infusion (in the form of rinses) - for caries, stomatitis. Alcohol tincture is used for rheumatism and gout.

Decoction of leaves: 20 g of raw material is boiled in 200 ml of water for 5 minutes, then filtered. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times a day.

Traditional medicine recipes:

1. Take the fruits of bird cherry, chokeberry (aronia), rose hips, hawthorn, tangerine peel in equal quantities, add sugar, cook compote and drink for hemorrhagic diathesis, dyspepsia in children, and diarrhea.

2. Prepare a collection of the following composition: bird cherry fruits - 4 parts, currant leaf - 3 parts, raspberry leaf - 3 parts, oregano herb - 2 parts, thyme herb - 2 parts, wormwood herb - 3 parts, plantain leaf - 2 parts, leaf coltsfoot - 2 parts, licorice root - 3 parts. Take 2 tbsp. spoons of crushed collection, pour 1 liter of boiling water, leave overnight in a thermos, take throughout the day. The collection has an immunomodulatory, antibacterial, emollient effect.

3. Take 3 parts of bird cherry fruits, 2 parts of blueberry fruits. 2 tbsp. Brew spoons of the mixture with 2 cups of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes. Cool, strain. Take 3 times a day, ¼–½ glass before meals.

But the fact that the bird cherry would also produce a harvest, and with vegetable crops that are not at all characteristic of it, is something out of the realm of fantasy, you say. But no. This is exactly what appeared in the Bodaibo region of Siberia.

One fine morning, the residents of the village of Bisyaga almost had their eyes popping out of their heads when they saw that the local bird cherry tree had begun to bear fruit... beans. However, this was to be expected. The trees in the area have been behaving in the strangest way all spring. When the time for flowering arrived, bright pink flowers suddenly bloomed on the bushes instead of the traditional white ones. The Siberians were surprised, gossiped and, in general, calmed down. They had no idea that the main surprise awaited them ahead.

After a while, alarmed residents of that same village called one of the Bodaibo television companies - people were scared. They witnessed a real anomaly. On bird cherry, instead of the usual round berries, the flowers formed pods similar to beans, reaching a length of 5 centimeters. At the same time, “bean cherry” grows both on separate branches and on one, next to ordinary berries. What is especially strange is that the pods are empty inside. Local residents are terrified to see if the mutation threatens people's health.

There were no botanists in the area who could reassure people or at least somehow explain the gift of nature. Siberian ecologists are also scratching their heads - this is the first time they have seen this; similar facts have not been described in the scientific literature either. Taken by surprise, experts put forward two versions: either cross-pollination occurred during the flowering of the tree, or it was the work of cosmic “objects.”

The Siberians checked their first guess themselves and immediately rejected this option - a very large distance separates the bird cherry bushes from the nearest pea or legume plants. The second version seems more plausible to the villagers. The fact is that two years ago a real meteorite fell on the Bodaibinsky district. People do not rule out that the cause of the mutation is the fall of a celestial body.

While experts are puzzling over the mystery of nature, in Siberia they are waiting with curiosity to see what will grow next from these mutant pods. Pessimists are sure of one thing: since the bird cherry is already bearing fruit with anything, it means that soon everyone will die out, like mammoths.

Bird cherry is known to have many beneficial properties. Firstly, it has been used to determine the onset of frost since ancient times. According to popular belief, this tree, when blooming, brings the traditional May cold snap in central Russia. Secondly, bird cherry bark releases essential oils - phytoncides that kill harmful bacteria. Often these trees are planted in city parks specifically for “disinfection” purposes.

But for the bird cherry to also produce a harvest, and with vegetable crops that are not at all characteristic of it, is something out of the realm of fantasy. But just such a mutant tree appeared in the Bodaibo region of Siberia. Residents of the village of Bisyaga were shocked one fine morning to see that the local bird cherry tree began to bear fruit and beans. However, this was to be expected. The trees in the area behaved in the strangest way in the spring. When the time for flowering came, the bushes unexpectedly, instead of the traditional white flowers, bloomed with bright pink ones. The Siberians were surprised, gossiped and, in general, calmed down. They had no idea that the main surprise awaited them ahead.

After a while, alarmed residents of that same village called one of the Bodaibo television companies - people were scared. They witnessed a real anomaly. On the bird cherry, instead of the usual round berries from the flowers, pods similar to beans were formed, reaching a length of 5 centimeters. At the same time, “bean cherry” grows both on separate branches and on one, next to ordinary berries. What’s especially strange is that the pods are empty inside. Local residents are terrified to see if the mutation threatens people’s health. There were no botanists in the area who could reassure people or at least somehow explain the gift of nature. Siberian ecologists are also scratching their heads - this is the first time they have seen this; similar facts have not been described in the scientific literature either. Caught by surprise, experts put forward two versions: either cross-pollination occurred during the flowering of the tree, or it was the work of cosmic “objects.”

The Siberians checked their first guess themselves and immediately rejected this option - a very large distance separates the bird cherry bushes from the nearest pea or legume plants. The second version seems more plausible to the villagers. The fact is that two years ago a real meteorite fell on the Bodaibinsky district. People do not rule out that the cause of the mutation is the fall of a celestial body. While experts are puzzling over the mystery of nature, in Siberia they are waiting with curiosity to see what will grow next from these mutant pods.

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And how did this story end in 2004?
The same thing is happening to our bird cherry trees now, but no meteorites have fallen.

And we have the same strange bird cherry growing.... 2013

The same miracles with bird cherry, instead of berries, pods grow

And in Siberia we have the same pods instead of berries.

2015 Samus, Tomsk region. Same cookie.

And we have an anomaly on the bird cherry branches...

This is the second year we have had such bird cherry

The same sick bird cherry. This is a fungal disease most likely due to the cold and wet spring.

The time of young fruit ovaries begins.


The green ovaries of future bird cherry drupes begin to set and grow rapidly. The bird cherry fruit is not a berry at all, but a drupe.They are not yet round, like when ripe, but round-conical, ovoid.On the clusters you can see dense green fruits of various sizes. This happens because the buds bloom unevenly and gradually.

Another interesting find is strange pod-like outgrowths instead of some fruits. When I first saw them, I thought they were Gauls. Growths in which special small insects live - gallworms. When I broke the pod, I was very surprised - it was empty and smooth inside. Perhaps this is some kind of mutation, I decided.

After some time, I found out what was the real reason for such disfigured bird cherry fruits. And this surprised me very much! I love solving such riddles. The search for causality is a lot of fun. And now comes the moment of revealing the secret. And you say to yourself - and what can happen in the world!