Prunus cerasoides

Prunus cerasoides is a medium-size deciduous tree and known as Himalayan wild cherry. Its bark is brownish-grey, smooth and peels off in a thin shining horizontal stripe exposing a shining copper-colored surface. Its leaves are ovate, acuminate, doubly serrate and glabrous. The petiole at its base. The stipules are feathery.

Flowering season in the months of October to November. Flowers are bisexual and occur in fascicles of rose-red color, gradually fading nearly to white. Pollination is mainly through insects. The fruits are produced in abundance having scanty pulp and are scarcely eaten, but are famous for making well-known cherry brandy. fruit is astringent. The juice of the bark is applied externally to treat backaches. The oil pressed from the seeds is used for pharmaceutical purposes.