What is a Chokecherry?
Chokecherry refers to the fruit and the tree Prunus Virginiana, which grows in abundance in North America. These tiny cherries, generally about .4 inches (1 cm) in diameter when fully grown are relatives to the black cherry. Unlike their edible relatives, chokecherries are generally not edible, at least for humans. They’re often called bird cherries, since birds delight in eating them, but for people, the high acid content makes the chokecherry extremely sour, inspiring the name. You just might “choke” if you pop one of these bright red wild fruits into your mouth.
