If you think “cherry tree identification by leaf” is challenging, join me in this post to help you. I’m a horticultural consultant (I have a PhD in Plant protection science) and plant identification is one of my favourite hobbies, especially fruit tree identification by leaf.
There are several species of cherry trees such as Prunus apetala (clove cherry), Prunus avium (sweet cherry, wild cherry), Prunus campanulata (Taiwan cherry), Prunus canescens (grey-leaf cherry), etc.
Although every cherry species may have its specific leaf characteristics, they share general features that can help us to distinguish the cherry tree leaves from other fruit trees.
In this post, I first tell you the key characteristics of cherry tree leaves and then will compare the cherry leaves with other common fruit tree leaves in the USA.
Here you can find the key characteristics of cherry leaf. As I told you above, various cherry tree species may be different in their leaf characteristics. Hence to distinguish between cherry species, you must consider other features such as:
So, the following characteristics can be helpful to gain an overview of cherry leaf appearance to distinguish it from other fruit trees.
Cherry Leaf Shape:
Cherry Leaf Color:
Cherry Leaf Veins:
Cherry Leaf Arrangement:
The leaves are arranged alternately on the branches, so, as you can see in the picture when a leaf emerges from the stem, it will be followed by another leaf on the opposite side of the stem, and so on.
Cherry Leaf Size:
It varies depending on the species. However, you will find the cherry leaf size around 2 to 5 inches long.
In this part, I provided a comparison of cherry tree leaves with the leaves of the other most common fruit trees in the USA. I think it will be helpful for “cherry tree identification by leaf”.
However, please note that I have described the general characteristics that may be various depending on the specific cultivar or variety.
Citrus tree leaves are:
Unlike cherry tree leaves, citrus leaves lack serrations along the edges.
Avocado tree leaves are:
Avocado leaves are larger and broader than cherry tree leaves.
Peach tree (Prunus persica) leaves are:
Peach tree leaves are similar in shape to cherry tree leaves and their distinguishing is challenging.
Nectarine trees (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) are a variety of peach. Hence its leaves are similar to peach tree leaves with the same characteristics.
Plum tree (Prunus domestica) leaves are:
Plum tree leaves can resemble cherry tree leaves, but they are often wider and shorter.
Apricot tree (Prunus armeniaca) leaves are:
Apricot tree leaves can resemble cherry tree leaves, but they are usually wider and shorter.
Apple tree leaves are:
Apple tree leaves are typically broader than cherry tree leaves.
Pear tree leaves are:
Pear tree leaves are often wider and shorter than cherry tree leaves.
Pomegranate tree leaves are:
Pomegranate leaves are longer and narrower than cherry tree leaves.
Persimmon tree leaves are:
Persimmon leaves are usually larger and broader than cherry tree leaves.
Almond tree leaves are:
Almond tree leaves can be similar in shape to cherry tree leaves but are often longer and narrower.
Olive tree leaves are:
Olive leaves are longer and narrower than cherry tree leaves.
Could you let me know if you were successful in identifying the cherry trees by leaf? Let me show you an easy way to identify fruit trees by picture including their leaf images: the “House Plant Identifier”. It is a free online tool that can identify indoor and outdoor plants including flowers, trees, ornamental and wild plants. I tested it even to identify the brown mushrooms in my potted plant.
Working with it is very easy and you can identify the intended plant accurately in only 2 seconds. The good news is that the “House Plant Identifier” can also detect plant diseases. Try and enjoy it.
In this article, I tried to show you the key characteristics of cherry tree leaves and compare them with other fruit tree leaves in the USA. I hope this post has been helpful for “cherry tree identification by leaf”. If you are interested in identifying the fruit trees in California, Ohio and Texas, I discussed them in my other posts.
Hi, I’m Elaheh. My Academic major is plant protection, and houseplants are my expertise. As a houseplant lover, my house is full of indoor plants and it is my passion to take care of them. Hence, I’m here to share my knowledge and experience about growing healthy houseplants. I am also a plant protection advisor, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have.