Chickasaw Plum

Prunus angustifolia Marsahall

Description

Chickasaw plum is a shrub or small tree that rarely exceeds 25 feet tall and is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) ². Young stems are reddish and have branches that form thorns ⁵. Its leaves are alternate, 1 to 3 inches long, and have serrated margins ¹. The leaf petiole bears two small, red glands at its apex ⁵. It flowers in early spring with clusters of 2 to 4 flowers about 0.5 inch across ². The 0.5-inch plums ripen to a yellow or red in late spring or early summer ².

Flowers of Chickasaw plum. @ M. Kiem (CC BY-ND-ND 4.0) North Carolina Extension ¹

Fruits of Chickasaw plum. M. Kiem (CC BY-ND-ND 4.0) North Carolina Extension ¹

Distribution

Chickasaw plum grows in the southern US from Pennsylvania to California ⁵. In Maryland it is largely found on the Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay ³.

Natural range of Chickasaw plum. Wikimedia Commons ⁶

Wildlife Importance

Thickets of Chickasaw plum provide habitats and nesting sites for numerous birds such as bobwhites, brown thrashers, gray catbirds, loggerhead shrike and painted buntings ⁵. In addition birds consume the fruits ¹. The plant is host for several species of butterfly including the Coral Hairstreak and Eastern River Swallowtail ¹.

Economic Importance

The attractive early blooms have horticultural interest and the fruit is used for wines, jams and jellies ⁵.

Threats

Fruit damage can be caused by plum curculio and major disease can be caused by brown rot of the fruit and bacterial leaf spot ⁵. Deer and herbivores may eat leaves and bark ⁵.

Interesting Facts

Chickasaw plum is used for stabilizing soil along stream banks⁵.
Chickasaw plum was a favorite of Chickasaw Indians who cultivated it for food ⁴.
Chickasaw plum was first cultivated (by Europeans) in 1874 ⁵.

References

Contributed by J. Hull

* Image used with permission of photographer

Towson University Glen Arboretum