Is This A Cherry Tree & Are He Fruit Edable ?

Question

I have a 8/10 year old Tree I thought was a Cherry Blossom – it produced loads or red fruit – cherry like this year – Is this a cherry tree and are the fruits edible please ?

• 

Answer 1

It is very hard to see without a closeup of the leaves and fruit, but it does appear to be a type of cherry. Some of the ornamental and wild cherries are not edible, and contain significant amounts of Prussic Acid, or Hydrogen Cyanide. I would not consume them unless you know that it is an edible cultivar.

This link will help explain the toxicity of Hydrogen Cyanide and its chemical relatives:

https://www.bu.edu/researchsupport/compliance/laboratory-safety/high-hazard-chemical-program-2/cyanides-sop-template/