GEAN
Prunus avium
Trees
Prunus
avium is a tall broad crowned deciduous tree that can
quickly reach up to 30m in height, easily recognised by its shiny reddish brown bark with
peeling strips. It is found in mixed deciduous
woodland and old hedgerows. It can spread by suckers but these can be sterile and so
unable to produce fruit. Dull green drooping leaves 8-15cm in size with oval blunt teeth
are produced on alternate sides of the stems.
Attractive white flowers appear in clusters before the leaves in mid to late April. By
July these will have turned to edible fruit ripening red. The tree likes lime rich and
clay soils.The root stock is still used to this day for growing a lot of our ornamental
trees 
Fruit should be collected as soon as it turns yellow in July.
Collect fruit from a group of fertile trees, as suckered trees do not produce fruit. Also
look for stones at the base of tree left behind by birds that have eaten the
fruit. Clean seeds of pulp as soon as possible and stratify
until early March then sow. Or pretreat.
Makes fine furniture, veneers and sweet smoking pipes.