Plum, American (BF)
At a Glance
Latin Name: Prunus americana
Zones: 3-8
Other common names: American Plum, wild yellow plum, red plum, wild plum
Mature Height: 20-30 ft. American plum grows as a large shrub or small tree.
Soil / Climate: likes moist soils, The shrub is winter-hardy, but has little tolerance for shade, drought, or fire.
Notes: white flowers in spring
The roots are shallow, widely spread, and send up suckers. Development of suckers from the root system makes American plum effective in stabilizing stream banks and gullies. It will tolerate several days of flooding. The branches are thorny. The fruits are about 1 inch in diameter. The American plum is used for both ornamental and culinary purposes. The sour and sweet fruit is eaten fresh and is made into jellies, jam and wine.
Wildlife: Deer, quail, grouse, and pheasant love to eat the plum fruit and both white tailed deer and mule deer feed on twigs and leaves.
Brine tolerant, Human and Wildlife consumption/habitat.
Transplant Purchase Size: 2-3 ft.
USDA NRCS Species Information