Chokecherry sightings surge as its fruit ripens this week
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
If you spot clusters of dark red-to-black berries on a shrubby tree along a trail or fence line this week, there's a good chance it's chokecherry, and knowing what to look for turns a walk into a foraging or wildlife-watching opportunity.
Chokecherry is a wild shrub or small tree found across much of North America, and right now people are noticing it everywhere. Nearly 430 verified sightings popped up on iNaturalist in one week, which usually means the plant is doing something visible, like ripening its tart, dark berries that birds and foragers both love.
Key Findings
427 research-grade observations of chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) were logged in a single week
The species ranked among the most-observed plants on iNaturalist during this period
High observation volume typically tracks a visible seasonal event, such as fruit ripening in August
chevron_right Technical Summary
Chokecherry is having a moment on iNaturalist, with 427 confirmed sightings logged by citizen scientists in a single week, signaling that this native shrub is fruiting and catching people's attention right now.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) — 427 observations this week
chokecherry is among the most observed plant species this week with 427 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
Was this useful?
Want to tell us more? (optional)
Thanks for the note!
Something went wrong — please try again.
Too many submissions. Try again in an hour.
Street trees cut heat deaths by 39 percent in European cities
Trees in your local park or street aren't just pretty — they are literally keeping people alive during heatwaves, and planting even a modest number of the ri...
Prunus virginiana, commonly called bitter-berry, chokecherry, Virginia bird cherry, and western chokecherry, is a species of bird cherry native to North America.