Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) is in the rose family family (Rosaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 2,036 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in May.
Nationally it blooms mainly from April to May, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Black Cherry: observations by month (U.S.)
About Black Cherry
Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the genus Prunus. Despite being called black cherry, it is not very closely related to the commonly cultivated cherries such as sweet cherry (P. avium), sour cherry (P. cerasus) and Japanese flowering cherries (P. serrulata, P. speciosa, P. sargentii, P. incisa, etc.) which belong to Prunus subg. Cerasus. Instead, P. serotina belongs to Prunus...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Black Cherry by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 306 | May | May–Jun |
| New York | 198 | May | May–May |
| Virginia | 175 | April | Apr–May |
| Georgia | 120 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Maryland | 120 | May | Apr–May |
| Pennsylvania | 82 | May | May–May |
| Connecticut | 78 | May | May–May |
| Maine | 73 | June | May–Jun |
| North Carolina | 69 | April | Apr–May |
| New Jersey | 67 | May | May–May |
| Arkansas | 65 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Mississippi | 65 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Vermont | 60 | May | May–Jun |
| Texas | 52 | March | Mar–Mar |
| Kentucky | 47 | April | Apr–May |
| New Hampshire | 43 | May | May–Jun |
| Ohio | 43 | May | May–May |
| Alabama | 38 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Minnesota | 34 | May | May–May |
| Missouri | 34 | April | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 32 | May | Apr–May |
| Tennessee | 31 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Rhode Island | 28 | May | May–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 28 | May | May–May |
| Illinois | 27 | May | May–May |
| South Carolina | 22 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Louisiana | 21 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Michigan | 20 | May | May–Jun |
| Florida | 13 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Delaware | 10 | May | May–May |
| District of Columbia | 10 | April | Apr–Apr |
| Kansas | 8 | April | Apr–Apr |
| West Virginia | 8 | May | May–May |
| Oklahoma | 7 | April | Mar–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (rose family)
Multiflora Rose
Virginia strawberry
Southern Dewberry
Trailing Blackberry
Purple-Flowered Raspberry
Thimbleberry
Salmonberry
Mock Strawberry
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black Cherry?
Nationally, May has the most observations, with the main season from April to May.
Where is Black Cherry most often seen?
The most observations come from Massachusetts, New York, Virginia.