Prunus mahaleb L.
Prunus mahaleb
Prunus mahaleb, commonly known as the Mahaleb cherry or St. Lucie cherry, is a deciduous tree or large shrub native to central and southern Europe, Iran, and parts of central Asia. It grows up to 10 meters tall with a trunk diameter of up to 40 cm. The tree is cultivated for a spice obtained from the seeds inside the cherry stones, which have a fragrant smell and a taste comparable to bitter almonds with cherry notes. The tree's bark is grey-brown, and its leaves are 1.5–5 cm long and 1–4 cm wide, with serrate edges. The flowers are fragrant, pure white, and small, arranged in racemes. The fruit is a small, thin-fleshed cherry-like drupe that turns dark purple to black when mature.
Details
Rosales
Rosaceae
Prunus
The plant contains coumarin in its bark, wood, and seeds. Coumarin has anti-inflammatory, sedative, and vasodilation effects.
The seeds are used to make mahleb, a spice with medicinal properties. The wood is hard and used in cabinet-making and for pipes. The plant has anti-inflammatory, sedative, and vasodilation effects.
Mid spring
2-10 meters (rarely up to 12 meters)
Pure white
Thickets and open woodland on dry slopes; in central Europe at altitudes up to 1,700 meters, and in highlands at 1,200–2,000 meters in southern Europe.
Info
Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.
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