Chokecherry vs Sweet cherry

Prunus virginiana compared with Prunus avium

Key Differences

• Chokecherry is Not Evaluated while Sweet cherry is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chokecherry	Sweet cherry
Kingdom same	Plantae (植物)	Plantae (植物)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (被子植物門)	Magnoliophyta (被子植物門)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (モクレン綱)	Magnoliopsida (モクレン綱)
Order same	Rosales (バラ目)	Rosales (バラ目)
Family same	Rosaceae (Rose Family)	Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Genus same	Prunus (Cherries & Plums)	Prunus (Cherries & Plums)
Species	Prunus virginiana	Prunus avium

Evolutionary Relationship

Chokecherry and Sweet cherry share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Prunus. (Cherries & Plums)

Conservation Status

Chokecherry

NE — Not Evaluated

Sweet cherry

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chokecherry	Sweet cherry
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).

Sweet cherry

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Libya), Asia (India, Taiwan), Europe (12 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Peru).

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇫🇮 Finland 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States