Belfast Botanic Gardens Tree Archive

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This is one of a series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens compiled by the Friends group. The tree tag number relates to the black tree maintenance tags, usually fixed on the tree trunk, 2 to 3m above ground level.
Family: Rosaceae
Prunus mahaleb L.
St. Lucie Cherry

Black tags 299/301
54o 34.932N
5o 55.814W

This very pretty small cherry tree is native to Central and Southern Europe, extending as far south as NW Africa and as far East as Northern Pakistan. It is usually less than 10m high with an attractive spreading shape. The pure white flowers are produced in clusters of 3 to 10 and are strongly scented. There are two specimens in Belfast Botanic Gardens close to the main path leading from the Botanic Avenue gate to the Botanic Primary School gate. The small black cherries are a favourite of blackbirds.

Prunus mahaleb in Belfast Botanic Gardens

Prunus mahaleb flowers
St Lucie cherry in Belfast Botanic Gardens St Lucie cherry, flowering branch in April

Prunus mahaleb branches

Prunus mahaleb flower and leaf detail
Pendulous branches of St Lucie cherry Flower and leaf detail of St Lucie cherry

Photos taken in Belfast Botanic Gardens in 2012. Copyright: Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens.

Click here to view the rest of the tree archive