Wild cherry, also known as wild black cherry and eastern black cherry, refers to the fruit of the largest species of cherry tree native to the eastern US. Because it is distributed throughout the Appalachian Mountains, it is also called mountain black cherry.
While the wood is valued for producing furniture and veneer and the fruit for making jams, jellies and wine, the bark of the tree is used to produce cough syrup and tonics. The bark is also used to make a traditional beverage specific to the southern Appalachians called cherry bounce. Because the tonic is typically fortified with brandy or rum, the bark is known in the region as rum cherry bark.
