are prunus avium cherries edible

Apparently they are, though they may be quite astringent and not that pleasant raw.

Technicaly the fruit of the Bird Cherry is edible.
Feel free to try one and then come back and tell us if you ate a second. I have bitten into one and spit it out quickly. They are not astringent but I have my own opinion of the flavour.

I only used the word astringent cos I was trying to be tactful, Bulbaholic!!

Make good jam though...

Prunus avium is the Gean or Wild Cherry, Prunus padus is the Bird Cherry. :-)

Oh! So it is, Fractal. I did not check the name before answering and got myself confused.
Pam, my appologies for confusing the two different trees.

I think that I may have one of each, the black fruited tree is much the bigger-- and sweeter!

Geans are great to eat,we used to have a huge one in the back garden and eventually had to have it cut down as it just got too big... I miss the cherries but not the wasps.