Chickasaw Plum Prunus angustifolia
- Phonetic Spelling
- PROO-nus an-gus-tee-FOH-lee-uh
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Chickasaw Plum is usually a shrub that may grow 15 feet tall. The leaves are alternate with a finely toothed margin. The bark is smooth and red with numerous elongated light lenticels. As the tree ages, the bark becomes scaly and shallowly furrowed. In early spring, small, 5-petaled, white flowers mature in clumps. The small tree produces a 1/2-inch, yellow-to-red drupe that matures in summer.
Native Americans regularly consumed the fruit fresh or dried it for winter.
This shrub is a host plant for the larvae of a number of butterflies including Coral hairstreak (Satyrium titus), Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Spring azure (Celastrina ladon), Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) and the Red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax). It also a host for the larvae of the Promethea silkmoth (Callosavia promethea), Imperial (Eaches imperialis), Polyphemus (Antheraea polyphemus) and the Cecropia (Hyalophora cecropia) moths.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Seasons of Interest:
Leaf: Blooms: Early spring Nut/Fruit/Seed: Summer
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Plum curculio and brown rot can affect the fruit of the Chickasaw plum. Other potential disease problems include leaf spot, canker and black knot. Other potential insect problems include aphids, scale, borers and tent caterpillars.
Site: The Chickasaw plum grows best in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. It is important to promptly remove root suckers to prevent any unwanted spread. This plant is adaptable to wide range of growing conditions and soils.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Guthrie'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Guthrie'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Prunus
- Species:
- angustifolia
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans regularly consumed the fruit fresh or dried it for winter.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Thickets provide good cover for songbirds and small mammals year round. This plant provides nectar for pollinators and is a larval host plant for several species of butterflies. You may see Coral Hairstreak (Satyrium titus) which has one flight from May-August, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), which has three flights from February-November in the deep south and March-September in the north, Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) which has many flights from January-October at the gulf coast getting shorter as you move north, Viceroy (Limenitis archippus) which has two to three broods May-September, and Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) has two broods from April-October. Fruits are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, quail, white-tailed deer, and small mammals.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- fire in the landscape.
- Edibility:
- Although the plums may be eaten raw, they are somewhat tart and acidic, and are perhaps best used in preserves and jellies.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Dense
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- Yellow and red fruit displays from May to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- White flowers bloom from March to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves of the Chickasaw plum are toothed, narrow, oval-lanceolate, and bright green (1-3" long). The branches and twigs are an attractive reddish-brown and sometimes have thorny lateral branchlets.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The branches and twigs are an attractive reddish-brown and sometimes have thorny lateral branchlets.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Fire
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- The pits contain cyanide compounds, which are poisonous. If a couple of pits are accidentally swallowed, it will not cause poisoning. The pits are more poisonous if they are ground up/crushed or the seeds are chewed. Fruit that has not been pitted should not be blended into a smoothie. Symptoms include Gasping, weakness, excitement, pupil dilation, spasms, convulsions, coma, respiratory failure.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycosides
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Leaves
- Seeds
- Stems
