KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� June 22, 2026 鈥� Despite being one of the most common forest trees along the East Coast, the black cherry’s reproductive biology remains surprisingly understudied. Primarily valued for its wood, much of what scientists know about its pollinators comes from research conducted more than 60 years ago.
Ren Johnson, a Ph.D. student in biological sciences at the 溏心vlog免费B站 working alongside Professor of Biological Sciences Evan Preisser in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 , is using canopy surveys, pollinator trapping, and experimental studies to investigate how black cherry trees are pollinated and whether they can reproduce without insect visitors.
This summer Johnson is joined by Alyssa Kruger, a CELS Summer Research Fellow and double major in molecular biology and wildlife conservation biology at 溏心vlog免费B站, as well as Chloe Dyehouse, a Smith College student who is working on the project as an research fellow.
The last tree to bloom
Black cherry is one of the last trees in Northeastern forests to flower, and that timing raises an intriguing question. While bees are still present in forests, many tend to forage in meadows and other open habitats once the tree canopy closes and flowering plants become scarce on the forest floor.
Understanding which insects visit these flowers and whether those visits are enough to support reproduction could help researchers better understand the ecology of both black cherry trees and native pollinators.
Johnson and her team redesigned earlier experiments 鈥� some of the only published work on black cherry pollination 鈥� using bagged and unbagged branches distributed throughout the canopy. Some treatments exclude insects and wind-blown pollen, while others serve as controls, allowing researchers to compare fruit production at the end of the season.
Taking research to the canopy
The work takes Johnson and her team nearly 30 feet in the air. With assistance from the University’s facilities department, the research team rented a boom lift for the flowering season. Johnson, who is now certified to operate the equipment, moves the lift from tree to tree to observe pollinators directly in the canopy.
The elevated vantage point allows the team to catch insects visiting flowers with hand nets and identify which species are actively interacting with black cherry blossoms.
At the same time, a researcher on the ground is surveying pollinators at lower heights, so conditions match across canopy and understory.
The project relies on a simple but effective tool: painted Solo cups filled with soapy water and suspended at different heights in the forest. The brightly colored cups act as pan traps, capturing insects over a 24-hour period. After collection, specimens are preserved and identified in the lab.
Combined with direct observations, the traps help researchers distinguish between insects present in the canopy and those likely interacting with black cherry flowers. 鈥淛ust because something went in this yellow cup doesn鈥檛 mean it was going to visit the black cherry,鈥� Johnson noted.
Implications for forest health
The findings could have implications beyond basic ecology. The black cherry reproduces both through seeds and vegetative sprouting from cut stumps. While sprouting allows existing trees to persist, seed production is essential for colonizing new areas.
鈥淚f they are doing all their reproduction vegetatively, it means they probably can鈥檛 colonize new places quickly,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淎nd then what does that mean for regrowing forests?鈥�
Johnson plans to continue the research next year, completing the two field seasons typically needed for publication. The study could help scientists better understand both black cherry reproduction and how pollinators use forest canopies during a critical period of the growing season.
For Johnson, the work has deepened her appreciation for a tree that often goes unnoticed.
鈥淏lack cherry is a labor of love,鈥� she said.
Wondering how to spot a black cherry tree in your backyard? If you have woods behind your house, there鈥檚 a good chance black cherry is already there! On older trees, the bark looks dark and flaky, often described as looking like 鈥渂urnt cornflakes.鈥� Leaves are simple, oval, and grow alternately along the twig. In spring, look for small pink 鈥渟tipules鈥� (tiny leaf-like structures) at the base of the leaves; they鈥檙e especially noticeable early in the season. In late May or early June, black cherry produces dangling clusters of small white flowers high in the canopy. It鈥檚 one of the last canopy trees to bloom, flowering after maples and oaks have already finished. (Caution: poison ivy often grows nearby at the base of these trees.)
This story was written by Anna Gray in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences.