The bark of chokecherry root is made into an asperous-textured concoction used to ward off or treat colds, fever and stomach maladies by Native Americans. It produces dark red fruit. This single or multi-stemmed tree is very cold hardy, but intolerant of wet soils. The leaves are oval, 2.5–9.0 cm (1.0–3.5 in) long and 1.2–5 cm (0.5–2.0 in) wide, with a serrated margin. The name chokecherry is also used for the related Manchurian cherry or Amur chokecherry (Prunus maackii). I first noticed the Chokecherry at rest stops while traveling across the northern United States. [12] The chokecherry fruit can be used to make jam or syrup, but the bitter nature of the fruit requires sugar to sweeten the preserves. Faster growing. Leaves turn to purple color as they … [11] The inner bark of the chokecherry, as well as red osier dogwood, or alder, is also used by some tribes in ceremonial smoking mixtures, known as kinnikinnick. Fruit. [9] 'Goertz' has a nonastringent, so palatable, fruit. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. Canada Red was originally grafted on Mayday tree rootstock to eliminate suckering, but is now largely seed or cutting propagated. ‘Schubert’ choke cherry, with its vivid foliage and pyramidal form, makes a fine focal point. It can stand up to harsh cold winters as well. Specs. I first noticed the Chokecherry at rest stops while traveling across the northern United States. It buds out light green in spring, then changes to dark purple as the weather warms, intensifying in the autumn. Chokecherry 'Canada Red' Prunus virginiana. Canada Red Chokecherry will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. 'Canada Red' - is a tree in which the leaves are green at first then become dark purple, by June about 90% of the foliage is purple … The chokecherry is closely related to the black cherry (Prunus serotina) of eastern North America; it is most readily distinguished from that by its smaller size (black cherry trees can reach 100 ft tall), smaller leaves, and sometimes red ripe fruit. The leaves are broadly oval with a short tip and finely toothed. New leaves emerge green and turn purple as they mature. Excellent shelterbelt shrub. It has attractive deep purple foliage which emerges green in spring. Oops! Apparently P. v. 'Canada Red' is a sport shoot of 'Schubert', however, some references treat the two cultivars as essentially equivalent whereas others indicate that the mature leaves of 'Canada Red' are reddish and those of 'Schubert' more purplish-red. Family: Rosaceae (ro-ZAY-see-ee) Genus: Prunus (PROO-nus) Species: virginiana (vir-jin-ee-AN-uh) Cultivar: Canada Red: Additional cultivar information: (aka Schubert, Shubert) 2 vendors have this plant for sale. The bark is dark grayish-brown, becoming … View gallery. Chokecherry is a native, perennial, deciduous, woody, thicket-forming large erect shrub or small tree. Prunus virginiana, commonly called chokecherry, is primarily native from Newfoundland to Saskatchewan south to North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Kansas.In Missouri, it most frequently occurs on wooded slopes, bluffs and ravines in areas north of the Missouri River (Steyermark).