May 31, 2026: Challenged by Cherries

I've always been challenged by the various cherry trees we have in the Lakes Region, and this spring, with many blooming, once again I couldn't tell them apart.  So I decided to make a concerted effort to finally figure them out.  There seem to be four species that grow here, although I learned that one of them isn't actually a cherry tree, but a fruiting shrub, growing up to six feet high.  That's the one that's blooming widely all around the lake, the Black Chokeberry.

Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)

Black Chokeberry grows along the shores of lakes and wetlands, and also on field edges - I've seen them at 2000' elevation on the ledges of Mt. Roberts in the Ossipee Mountains.  Their flowers grow in clusters, as do their fruit.

Chokeberry is flowering now all around the Lakes Region

Chokeberry fruit in September.

The fruit stays on the plant into winter, providing a late winter food source for year-round fruit-eating birds like bluebirds and cedar waxwings.

There are two varieties of chokeberry that grow in New Hampshire, black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) and red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia), but I'm pretty confident most of what I see is the black variety as they are a more northern species, growing as for north as Canada.  Also, the color of the fruit I've seen in the fall is a good indicator.  If you look inside a chokeberry fruit you'll find multiple seeds (like a fruit) rather than the single pit of a cherry.

Moving on to the true cherries (genus prunus), the grand champion is the Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) which can grow up to 80' tall and is highly valued by craftsmen for its beautiful wood.  It has blossoms and fruit that grow in racemes - a long, thin tubular shape. 

Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Black cherry was planted on many New England farms and you can find them at the Meredith Page Pond Town Forest near the Barnard Ridge Road trailhead.  There is a very large one in the old orchard being rejuvenated, as well as several smaller ones in the field.   

Common Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) has flower clusters similar to black cherry, but its leavers are wider and more rounded, and it's a smaller tree, growing only to 18' tall.

Common Chokecherry

Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica) is also a small tree, growing to about 20'.  Its flowers and fruit grow in clusters similar to Black Chokeberry.

Pin Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica)

The three prunus cherries are all considered pioneer species, as they quickly emerge in open areas following fire or logging (the chokeberry is not).  A great example of this is the stand of pin cherry trees that rapidly took over a clear cut abutting the Eames Conservation Area in the Hamlin-Eames Town Forest.  If you hike the White Trail where it runs along the boundary line you can see this stand just over the stone wall that is the boundary.

So, we have pin cherry, black cherry, common chokecherry, and black chokeberry.  No wonder I've been confused by cherries!

Black Cherry:

Habitat:  old fields and woodland edged
Height:  40'

Flowers:  5" long racemes 

Fruit:  1/2", dark red to black

Leaves:  5", elliptical, toothed

Pin Cherry:

Habitat:  clearings

Height:  20'

Flowers:  1/2" in clusters 

Fruit:  small, red

Leaves:  4", lanceolate

Common Chokecherry:

Habitat:  water edges, roadsides

Height:  18'

Flowers :  4" racemes

Fruit:  1/2" red to black

Leaves:  elliptical, finely toothed

Black Chokeberry (not a cherry):

Habitat:  water edges

Height:  12'

Flowers : 3" clusters 

Fruit:  1/4", black, in clusters

Leaves:  2", oval, finely toothed

This week found me near Squam Lake, hiking up Eagle Cliff  (where I found many black cherry trees!) and over to Red Hill.  It was a cool, sunny morning and the lake and mountains were beautiful.

Squam Lake from Eagle Cliff.

The hike along the ridge from the cliff to the Red Hill fire tower was a spring nature tour.  I heard 17 different birds, including a loon carrying all the way from the lake on that quiet morning.  Other treats included seeing a bright red Scarlet Tanager (which I often hear, but rarely can see high in the canopy) and hearing both Hermit and Wood Thrushes.  

The wildflowers were as captivating as the birds, and I even found a new flower I hadn't even heard of before:  Rock Harlequin.

Rock Harlequin  (Capnoides sempervirens)

It's a tall, spindly plant with pretty pink and yellow blossoms at the top.

The North Carolina State Extension states rock harlequin thrives on rocky cliffs, granite domes, and in rock crevasses with poor drainage.  They prefer acidic soils in climates with cold winters and cool summers. [Ref:  NC State Extension]  This is exactly where I found these; they were growing in a sunny spot right at Eagle Ledge, amidst a large patch of bluets.   

Bluets

Often when I see bluets they're more white than blue, but these flowers up high had a nice blue hue.

A few wild columbine were also blooming alnog the ridge trail.

Columbine

May and June spring hiking can be slow with all the nature to observe, so remember to bring along the bug spray when you're out.  It is also loon nesting season, and there is news on that front.  The Wicwas northern pair has selected a site and is now on the nest, hopefully with two eggs to incubate.  They chose the same site as 2024, which didn't work out for them - the nest was predated, after which they built a second nest in a different location.  Let's hope things go better this year.  The site is well hidden and well away from boating traffic, so no signs will be placed there.

Both members of the southern pair have now been confirmed by their bands (thanks DT!) and with only a single loon being seen in their territory now, it's likely they have a nest with eggs too.  If you happen to come across it on your travels, please let us know so we can take any precautions needed to protect it.  

Friday's 3" of rain raised the lake level by 6" even with the dam lowered in preparation.  Hopefully both pairs can defend their nests from the rising water.  Last year we fledged only one chick, Spangle.  We hope to increase that number in 2026!

Spangle, shortly before leaving the lake in early December 2025.

May 14, 2011

Lake Wicwas enjoyed one fantastic summer-like day this week before the weather turned back to cool and damp.  I expect I have enjoyed my last tranquil walk in the woods, being able to walk slowly without the constant buzz of mosquitoes all around.  The black flies are out, and the mosquitoes will follow shortly.  It is one aspect of summer I could do without!

Clouds Lift over the Hills behind Lake Wicwas

One warm day was enough to encourage the trees to push out their leaves – even the oaks now have tiny leaves on their branches, and the hills are painted a pale-green as photosynthesis begins.

Pale Green Leaves Emerging

Birch Tree Flower

The tree pollen is very high right now, and is reported to be at record levels this year.  All trees have some sort of flower which produces pollen; this is the flower of a birch tree, getting ready to release its crop to us allergy sufferers.












I think the Trillium is the most fabulous flower in New Hampshire, and there is a wonderful display of Painted Trillium right now on the Blue Trail in the Hamlin Conservation area.  My feelings for trillium are likely based on my first experience with this flower.  I came across it the first time on a group hiking trip in western NH.  I saw a single Purple Trillium; I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was something special.  You can imagine my distress when the leader of the trip leaned over and plucked it off its stem, saying, “we’ll look it up later”.  Ever since then I think I’ve felt a need to protect them (and felt a lot less respect for one particular trip leader).  I have never seen a purple trillium again.

Painted Trillium

The Hobblebush Viburnum is also blooming, joining the brightness of the Shadbush.  This plant has an intriguing blossom, with a circle of large white flowers surrounding dozens of tiny blooms.  Hobblebush can be seen along the Blue Trail as well as many other places around Lake Wicwas.

Hobblebush Viburnum

Pin Cherry

Another white, blossoming tree is the Pin Cherry, which can be found along Chemung Rd at the edges of the swamps.  In a few months this will be an important source of food for many birds.







Speaking of birds, one can tell the insects are back by the Phoebes flitting out of the trees to catch an insect, and returning to its perch to wait for its next victim.  The Swallows are also back, dive-bombing the insects just above the surface of the lake.  Red-winged Blackbirds have been frequenting the bird feeders rather than spending time out in the marshes.

Red-winged Blackbird

(Note that I added some additional information from my sightings on the May 8th entry.)