Cherry tree identification key: accessible version
An accessible key for identifying UK cherry trees
At each step, select the statement that matches the tree you want to identify. When you reach an identification, you can choose to see more detail about that particular tree.
Step 1: note how the flowers or fruits are arranged
Go to step 2 
- Flowers or fruits arranged in roughly cylinder-shaped spikes, 11 or more per spike
Go to step 3 
- Flowers or fruits on their own or in clusters of 10 or fewer
Step 2: check the leaves and measure the flowers
Bird cherries 
- Leaves hairless or with white hairs along midrib, sometimes only where veins join; flowers 10-15mm across
Rum cherry 
- Leaves have rusty or orange hairs underneath, each side of the midrib; flowers 8mm across
Step 3: look at the stalks and leaf edges
Go to step 4 
- Flower and leaf stalks densely hairy; leaf edges have pointed teeth
Go to step 5 
- Flower and leaf stalks hairless or almost hairless; leaf edges have pointed teeth, often with thin, bristle-like tips
Go to step 6 
- Flower and leaf stalks hairless; leaf edges have blunt or round teeth, often with a claw-shaped gland at the tip
Step 4: look at the sepals
Spring cherries 
- Sepal edges are toothed; leaves hairless on the upper side with hairy veins on the underside
Fuji cherry 
- Sepal edges not toothed; leaves hairy on both surfaces
Step 5: look at the bark
Tibetan cherry 
- Bark on trunk and branches very glossy, purplish-brown and peeling in thin, copper-brown strips
Japanese cherries 
- Bark mostly dull grey or brown, sometimes peeling to reveal shiny red-brown on the trunk
Step 6: check how flowers are arranged, measure the flowers and fruit
St Lucie cherries 
- Flowers less than 20mm across, on stalks up to 15mm long, not arising from a central point; fruit less than 10mm long
Go to step 7 
- Flowers more than 20mm across, on stalks more than 15mm long, arising from a central point; fruit more than 10mm long
Step 7: note the flower shape and look at the leaves
Wild cherry 
- Flowers cup-shaped; leaves dull on the upper side, sparsely hairy on the underside
Morello cherry 
- Flowers saucer-shaped; leaves glossy on the upper side, hairless on the underside
