Choke cherry, wild cherry

This 3 to 10 m tall shrub has a slender, twisted and inclined trunk. Its bark is smooth and thin, with a pronounced odour. It is greyish-brown, spotted with yellow, becoming slightly scaly with age. The bark is almost black on older trees. The twigs are smooth and greyish-brown. The sharp-pointed buds are chestnut brown. The alternate leaves are thin and finely toothed. They are oval, widening above the middle. They are dull green above and paler green beneath. The white flowers are arranged in dense cylindrical clusters. The fruit is dark red or black cherries, arranged in clusters.