Gean, Wild cherry, European cherry Prunus aviumSee also Bird cherry, Prunus padus Sources of seed and plants Grows throughout most. of Britain, but is commonest in south-east England, the Welsh borders and eastern side of Scotland; rare in the extreme north. The finest trees and stands are found in south-east England and north-east Scotland. Seed trees must have straight, persistent stems and small branches. Silviculture A light-demanding tree often grown in mixture with ash, beech, Pedunculate oak and Wych elm. Sometimes planted in pure stands. Soil types Prefers warm, deep, heavy but permeable loams overlying chalk or limestone, but will tolerate clays, acid brown earths and shallow soils over chalk. Rate of growth and yield Young trees grow quickly with whorls of short, upwardslanting branches to give a conical crown. In woodlands the stem is staight and cylindrical. Grows rapidly up to 40 years then increment falls off. Essentially short-lived, healthy trees older than 90 years are uncommon. Commonly attains heights of 18 to 25 metres and stem diameters of 60 cms. Protection and resistance Myzus cerasi, the cherry aphid, can cause leaf curl and stunted growth in nurseries and gardens; Bacterial canker caused by Pseudomonas mors-prunorum, produces lesions and can result in dieback of shoots and stem. Late spring frosts damage the flowers. On exposed sites the tree soon loses its shape but it can be used in shelter belts and it withstands atmospheric pollution. The horizontal structure of the bark protects gean from severe damage by grey squirrels. Establishing and tending All common sizes of planting stock establish well. Fruits regularly and produces suckers freely. Timber properties A diffuse-porous wood with fine, even texture, pale pinkishbrown in colour and darkening on exposure to light. The sapwood is moderately well-defined and the heartwood is moderately durable. Generally straight grained, the density is classed as medium (600 kg/m3 at 12% MC) and the timber is almost as strong as beech. It is very good for wood bending, good for turning and good for staining and polishing. Dries fairly readily but with a pronounced tendency to warp. Amenity value Among the most attractive native trees with white, sweetscented flowers in spring and crimson leaf colour in autumn. Suitable for urban roadsides and edges of plantations. Conservation The cherries are relished by many birds. Timber value Decorative; generally used in small sections. Very suitable for cabinet and furniture making, panelling, decorative joinery and turnery. Economic appraisal Need not be confined to lowland sites but is best grown on warm permeable soils in mixture with ash, beech, sycamore and larches on a rotation of 40 to 50 years. Must be thinned and preferably pruned to produce straight cylindrical boles which are suitable for sawn timber and veneers. |
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