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Author Topic: Are these cherries?  (Read 2039 times)

Offline erockrph

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Are these cherries?
« on: July 06, 2015, 07:23:07 am »
I came across some trees on my property in the past few weeks that are covered with fruit that look like small cherries. I am hesitant to forage for any berry that I haven't positively identified, especially red ones that i have no prior experience with. But man, do these things look just like tiny cherries.

Does anyone have any experience/thoughts on these:


Eric B.

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Online pete b

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2015, 08:01:56 am »
I am no expert so I'm not saying definitly eat them (as if you would eat them because I said so!) but they look like cherries, the stems and grouping look like cherries, and the bArk looks like cherry. I would cut one open and see if it smells like a cherry and has a pit. I would also do what mushroom foragers like me do and look up if it has a poisenous look-alike. My guess is its a dwarf cherry or wild cherry. What would give me the most confidence is if Near the bottom of the tree you could find a graft, then you would know it was cultivated.
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Offline realbeerguy

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2015, 08:06:29 am »
Choke cherries?
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Offline erockrph

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2015, 08:11:30 am »
Choke cherries?
I was wondering about that, but I always thought they were grouped in clusters.
Eric B.

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Offline Stevie

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2015, 08:17:28 am »
Do you have a University Extension that you can bring it to for identification?

Offline Delo

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2015, 08:27:16 am »
I am no expert, but they may be pin cherries. They are pretty common in the northeast. I would bring them for someone to id before trying them. They may taste like burning.
Mark

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #6 on: July 06, 2015, 08:57:54 am »
Pin cherries are a good guess, the're pretty common in New England.
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Offline mchrispen

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #7 on: July 06, 2015, 09:14:02 am »
I would clip a small branch with a few leaves and fruit and take them into a good nursery and see if they can id them.
Matt Chrispen
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2015, 08:09:02 am »
Apparently you can make jelly from pin cherries. http://puttingupwiththeturnbulls.com/2010/08/30/pin-cherry-jelly/
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2015, 03:02:22 pm »
The leaves look like cherry leaves and pictures on the internets look very similar.  Definitely contact your Ag university extension or a green house you trust before tasting any though.

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Offline erockrph

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2015, 10:05:43 pm »
I popped one in my fingers and there was a single cherry-like pit. I'm pretty sure they are pin cherries. I ended up tasting one after taking a tiny nibble the previous day. It was tart and slightly astringent. I don't think I'll get a chance to harvest enough to do anything with them before they go overripe and shrivel/fall off the trees. I might have to try them next year in a mead.
Eric B.

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Online pete b

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Re: Are these cherries?
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2015, 05:30:02 am »
I popped one in my fingers and there was a single cherry-like pit. I'm pretty sure they are pin cherries. I ended up tasting one after taking a tiny nibble the previous day. It was tart and slightly astringent. I don't think I'll get a chance to harvest enough to do anything with them before they go overripe and shrivel/fall off the trees. I might have to try them next year in a mead.
Mmm cherry mead is a favorite. We planted 5 dwarf cherries in our orchard a few years ago. This year is the first year we had a few cherries. Next year I hope to have enough for a mead. We have a few pin cherries on our property but their too tall to harvest.
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