Similar species: Page is under construction. Please see link below for general information on the genus Prunus.

Etymology: Prunus is the Latin name for plum.

Author: The Morton Arboretum

I feel positive that this species was never native to Indiana and I think that our few reports can safely be referred to naturalized plants. I have seen it persist in a fallow field in the Clark County State Forest after cultivation and spread over an area, as nearly as I can recall, of about half an acre in 30 years. I have seen it frequently in large colonies in fallow fields about former habitations. In no instance have I seen it in a place where I would regard it as native and it should be referred to the introduced species. Sargent says: "Probably native in cent. Tex. and Okla."

Much-branched, often thorny shrub or small tree to 5 m, forming thickets; lvs scarcely developed at anthesis, at maturity trough-shaped, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 3-6 cm, acute or short-acuminate, smooth and shining above, very finely serrulate, the teeth 12-20 per cm, bearing a gland near the sinus; pedicels (3-8 mm), hypanthium, and outer side of the sep smooth or nearly so, the inner side of the sep hairy especially near the base; pet 4-6 mm; fr subglobose, red, not glaucous, 1-1.5 cm thick; stone turgid. Usually in sandy or sterile soil, open woods, thickets, and fence-rows; chiefly from Va. to Fla., w. to Kans. and Tex., but also irregularly to s. N.J., s. O., Ind., Ill., and Neb. Apr.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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