Prunus virginiana is a large native deciduous shrub or a small tree. Growing in the wild, it can form thickets, which can become very dense. The spread can originate from the shallow, spreading root system that may form additional plants from the lengthy underground runners. In the wild, it can be found growing in multiple growing conditions in woodlands, ravines, slopes, thickets, and open fields. When immature, the berries have a puckered texture. These berries have a bitter taste, giving this plant the common name chokeberry. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: More information on Prunus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in. | Width: 18 ft. 0 in. - 25 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Oval; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
1.5 to 5 in. egg-shaped leaves with the edge being Serrate. The leaves may fall off in the winter, or remain on the plant in a withered state. Each leaf tapers into a long slender tip. Minimal hair may be found along the veins on the underside of the leaf. When crushed, the leaves have a strong bitter scent.
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Each petal is oval to orbicular in shape and concave. The green sepals become yellow giving the white flower a yellowish look.
The winter color can be brown, gray, purple, or red.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Northern America
Wildlife value
This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north. Large and small animals browse the foliage. Birds eat the fruits and gather twigs and foliage for nexting.
#NC native #problem for cats #problem for horses #problem for dogs #deciduous shrub #native tree #native shrub #eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly #butterfly friendly #larval host plant #shade garden #pollinator plant #frost tolerant #NC Native Pollinator Plant #wildlife friendly
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Leaves; Seeds; Stems
Poison symptoms
Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting, shock.