Chokecherry vs Noctule

Prunus virginiana compared with Nyctalus noctula

Key Differences

Chokecherry is Not Evaluated while Noctule is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chokecherry	Noctule
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Rosales (Roses & Allies)	Chiroptera (Bats)
Family	Rosaceae (Rose Family)	Vespertilionidae
Genus	Prunus (Cherries & Plums)	Nyctalus
Species	Prunus virginiana	Nyctalus noctula

Conservation Status

Chokecherry

NE — Not Evaluated

Noctule

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chokecherry	Noctule
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chokecherry

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found across Europe (14 countries) and North America (United States).

Noctule

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chokecherry

The Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) is a widespread, suckering shrub or small tree in the family Rosaceae, native throughout most of North America from Alaska and the Yukon south to Georgia and Baja California, with naturalised populations in parts of Europe. It produces clusters of small white flowers in elongated racemes in spring, followed by dark red to near-black drupes (chokecherries) that are astringent and bitter when raw due to high tannin content but become palatable after cooking and are widely used for jams, jellies, syrups, and wines. The common name chokecherry alludes to the choking sensation caused by eating unripe or raw fruit. All parts of the plant except the ripe flesh contain cyanogenic glycosides — primarily amygdalin — which can release hydrogen cyanide and are toxic to humans and livestock if consumed in quantity. The species is highly adaptable, colonising roadsides, forest edges, disturbed ground, and riparian areas across a wide range of soil types and climates. It is an important wildlife plant throughout its range, providing food for numerous birds (particularly thrushes, waxwings, and grouse) and mammals (bears, deer, raccoons). The IUCN lists it as Not Evaluated. Chokecherry is also an important cultural plant for many Indigenous peoples of North America.

Noctule

Noctule (Nyctalus noctula) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.