Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Prunus americana
American plum, wild plum
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in southcentral and southeastern Washington; Washington to Oregon, east to the Rocky Mountains, and further east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Along watercourses, and on open or wooded, moist or dry areas from the plains into the lower mountains.

Flowers: April-May

Origin: Native and introduced from further east of Washington

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Shrub or small tree, 1-10 m. tall, some of the branches sharp-pointed, the bark deep brownish-purple.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, deciduous, the petioles stout, pubescent, 5-12 mm. long, the blades lanceolate to elliptic, acuminate, acute at the base, serrate, glabrous, often hairy beneath, 4-10 cm. long.

Flowers:

Flowers 2-4 in umbels, the pedicels slender; calyx reddish tinged, the 5 lobes 2.5-3.5 mm. long, about equal to the tube, pubescent on the upper surface, oblong-lanceolate, serrulate; petals 5, white, elliptic-oblong, 7-9 mm. long; stamens about 25; pistil 1, simple.

Fruits:

Drupe orange to purplish-red, the flesh yellow, 1.8-2.5 cm. long.

Accepted Name:
Prunus americana Marshall
Publication: Arbust. Amer. 111. 1785.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Prunus domestica L. var. americana Castiglioni
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Prunus americana in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Prunus americana checklist entry

OregonFlora: Prunus americana information

E-Flora BC: Prunus americana atlas page

CalPhotos: Prunus americana photos

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