Flowering American Plum
Prunus americana, Family Rose ( Rosaceae ), Flowering American Plum.
The Flowering Plum is a small to medium sized tree. It has cultivated into several varieties for either its fruit or it flowers. It is a fast growing tree that is relatively small in height and diameter.
The tree is used either as an ornamental in Arizona. The maximum height is about 27 feet. The wood of this tree is not used commercially.
The tree is planted throughout North America in moist, clay, loam, and sand. It is not a native Arizona plant.
When this tree blooms, the citrus will bloom in about 30 days.
Height: Up To About 25' - 30' Tall.
Trunk: Up To About 1 Foot Thick.
Bark: The Bark is dark brown, and the bark texture is furrowed.
Twig: Slender, reddish-brown some thorns, later developing an exfoliating gray film; buds reddish to gray and sharp pointed; leaf scars raised.
Flowers: The color of the spring flower bud is pink/rose changing to white as the flower opens fully. Composed of 5 petals, 1 inch across, long filaments, yellow anthers, appear in small clusters in early spring with the leaves.
Blooming Time: Mid February - March
Fruit: The flowering Plum’s fruit is without husks or capsules, they are loosely packed, the fruit has a large pit. The fruit is larger than 3 cm and is blue and red at maturity. The fruit is very drupe and hang down very low off the twigs. Some varieties do not have fruit.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, broad leaf, 3 to 4 inches long, green above, and slightly paler beneath. Simple, ovate to elliptical, finely serrated margin, sharply pointed tip-margin with fine, double teeth, all teeth same size, not lobed, shorter stem, all side veins curve and are close to the same length. Leaf stalk less than 1/3 length of leaf. Deciduous leaves are green then Purple in the fall.
Found: Usually A Landscaping Plant At lower Elevations.
Elevation: 800 - 3500 Feet.
Habitat: Cities and Towns.
Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken February 12, 2004.
