Professor Wolfgang Nagel received the tree sponsorship as a gift on the occasion of his birthday from the staff of the ZIH and from various other projects he is involved in as part of his research activities. 

The wild cherry won tree of the year in Germany in 2010. It is a deciduous tree that grows to a height of 15 to 20 meters with a pyramidal crown. In Europe it is often found in mixed deciduous forests associated with beech, hornbeam and oak or maple, never in pure stands; it is found on forest edges or as pioneer trees on uncultivated meadows and pastures. The trees can live up to 150 years.

The wild cherry and its subspecies are the predecessors of the numerous sweet cherries, many of which are cultivated in orchards today. In Germany, wild cherries can be found in the open countryside, but are difficult to distinguish from cultivated cherries.

Wild cherries are important bird food trees and excellent nectar sources. The pollen is important for 15 species of wild bees, including twelve species of mining bees. The main pollinators, however, are honey bees. 20 butterfly species use the leaves to feed their caterpillars. The wild cherry is mainly spread by birds thanks to its tasty fruit, which can be seen from afar.