Wild cherry

0
5048

Wild cherry: Plant profile

Common names

Wild Cherry, Sweet Cherry, Mazzard, Gean, Crann Silin Fiain

Botanical name

Prunus avium (& other Prunus spp.)

Family

Rosaceae (Rose)

Distribution

Native to Europe. Widespread all over England and Wales. Although still common, less frequent in some parts of Scotland and Ireland.

Where to find Wild Cherry

Deciduous woodlands and hedgerow. Widely planted in parks and alongside streets.

When to find Wild Cherry

Fruit early to mid summer.

How to identify Wild Cherry

Wild Cherry is a deciduous tree. The tree has a straight trunk and branches that grow in rings up along the trunk. The bark is brown to grey and have ‘cuts’ around the trunk called lenticels. The leaves have elongated oval shape with serrated edges and bright green in colour, which is lighter underneath. The flowers are either white or pink in colour and are variable dependent on species / variety. The fruit is round and shiny, red in colour and has a stone in the middle.

Wild Cherry lookalikes

The Cherry Plum (Prunus cerasifera) fruit look similar, which is generally a bit bigger and come in different colours such as red and yellow. Nonetheless, all species of cherries and plums are edible.

See also  Tips and Tactics for Bowhunting Mule Deer

All about Wild Cherry

There are a few different Cherry species growing in the UK and Ireland. The most common is Wild or Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium), but there are also Sour Cherries (Prunus cerasus) and Bird Cherries (Prunus padus). All Cherries are edible but have different flavour profiles.

The fruit will start to appear at the end of June and you’ll have to be quick to beat the birds. The Cherries are often a little hidden by the leaves, so it’s best to stand under the tree and spot the darker ones, though sometimes it’s more practical to pick under-ripe fruit to ripen at home.

Medicinal properties of Wild Cherry

The fruit stalks are astringent, diuretic and tonic.

Culinary uses and recipes with Wild Cherry

The flowers taste of almonds and can be made into syrup or infused in milk for making custard.

Sweet Cherries are best eaten fresh, straight from the tree and added to natural yoghourt. However, Wild Cherries are relatively small and tedious to pit and are often used to infuse drinks and make preserves and sauces.

Cherry fruit is so versatile. It can be used to make Hungarian Sour Cherry soup (Meggyleves), cooked with game or venison terrines, made into preserves such as jams and pickles or sweet desserts such as panacotta and chocolate & cherry mousse.

In the drinks front, Cherry can be used to make Cherry schnapps (Kirschwasser) and wine made of blossoms or fruit, but fruit can simply be infused into drinks to make flavoured brandy or a mock amaretto. Off the booze? Make a simple and delicious cordial or juice.

See also  .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire for Whitetail Deer Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Whitetail Deer Hunt Hunting Calibers 04 Apr, 2020 Posted By: Foundry Outdoors Is the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for whitetail deer hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer. As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the whitetail deer, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the whitetail deer in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on. [Click Here to Shop .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo]What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a whitetail deer in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically. Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire within the ideal range of suitable calibers for whitetail deer hunting?” our answer is: No, the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table. Assumption Value Caliber .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Animal Species Whitetail Deer Muzzle Energy 250 foot-pounds Animal Weight 210 lbs Shot Distance 150 yardsWhat is the average muzzle energy for a .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire round is approximately 250 foot-pounds. What is the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer is approximately 210 lbs. [Click Here to Shop .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo]What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in whitetail deer hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for whitetail deer to be approximately 150 yards. What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the whitetail deer being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.Various calibersA common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions. Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer - and to this question, the response again is no, the .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting. [Click Here to Shop .17 HMR Hornady Magnum Rimfire Ammo]This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below. Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting whitetail deer to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.Foundry Outdoors is your trusted home for buying archery, camping, fishing, hunting, shooting sports, and outdoor gear online.We offer cheap ammo and bulk ammo deals on the most popular ammo calibers. We have a variety of deals on Rifle Ammo, Handgun Ammo, Shotgun Ammo & Rimfire Ammo, as well as ammo for target practice, plinking, hunting, or shooting competitions. Our website lists special deals on 9mm Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 45-70 Ammo, 6.5 Creedmoor ammo, 300 Blackout Ammo, 10mm Ammo, 5.56 Ammo, Underwood Ammo, Buffalo Bore Ammo and more special deals on bulk ammo.We offer a 100% Authenticity Guarantee on all products sold on our website. Please email us if you have questions about any of our product listings. Leave a commentComments have to be approved before showing up Your Name * Your Email * Your Comment * Post Comment

Cherry full of fruit (Prunus avium)

Safe foraging of Wild Cherries

Just like shop-bought Cherries, the seeds or pips of the Wild Cherry contain hydrogen cyanide and are poisonous. It is usually present in too small a quantity to do any harm. In excess, however, it can cause respiratory failure.

Ecological importance of Wild Cherry

Cherry trees provide a food source for many birds and small mammals, as well as used for shelter and nesting.

Previous articleKansas lets hunters bait deer. Most states don't. A disease might make Kansas change.
Next articleWhat Is The Biggest Iguana In The World
Ethan Smith
Ethan Smith is a seasoned marine veteran, professional blogger, witty and edgy writer, and an avid hunter. He spent a great deal of his childhood years around the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest in Arizona. Watching active hunters practise their craft initiated him into the world of hunting and rubrics of outdoor life. He also honed his writing skills by sharing his outdoor experiences with fellow schoolmates through their high school’s magazine. Further along the way, the US Marine Corps got wind of his excellent combination of skills and sought to put them into good use by employing him as a combat correspondent. He now shares his income from this prestigious job with his wife and one kid. Read more >>