Cherry (black)
The black cherry is a pioneer species. In the Midwest, it is seen growing mostly in old fields with other sunlight loving species, such as black walnut, black locust, and hackberry. It is a moderately long-lived tree, with ages of up to 258 years known. Black cherry is prone to storm damage with branches breaking easily but any resulting decay progresses slowly. It is the largest native cherry and one of the most abundant wild fruit trees.