Prunus avium (Sweet Cherry)

A deciduous tree native from Europe to Afghanistan and in North Africa, Prunus avium, the sweet cherry, belongs to the Rosaceae family. Its spreading branches bear pointed, oval leaves with toothed margins. White flowers grow in small clusters on short shoots, opening as the new leaves emerge. The rounded, smooth-skinned fruits contain a single hard stone and generally become dark red at maturity. Many cultivars have been selected for fruit production or ornamental flowers. Photographed in the department of Boyacá, Colombia.