Plums and Cherries
FAMILY ROSACEAEGenus PRUNUS, B. & H.
Trees with bitter, astringent sap, containing hydrocyanic acid. Leaves simple, alternate, generally serrate. Flowers in clusters, perfect, white, with parts distinct. Fruit a fleshy, 1-seeded drupe, with smooth skin and stone.
The genus Prunus includes trees with stone fruits, and has its representatives well distributed over the Northern Hemisphere. In its wild forms it is not as well known, perhaps, as in those varieties that horticulture has brought to high perfection and importance as fruit trees.
There are over one hundred species, including many shrubby ones. Of this number about thirty occur in North America, only half of which assume tree form. All of these but the wild black cherry are small trees. Nevertheless the wood of most of them is valuable, being close grained and durable.
Their fruits furnish food and medicinal substances. Beside the cherries and plums of others countries, the peach, apricot and almond belong to this genus. Important flowering varieties of each are to be added to this list of valuable introduced stone fruits.
Alleghany Sloe Plum Tree
Black Sloe Plum Tree
Canada Plum Tree
Chickasaw Plum Tree
Choke Cherry Tree
Sour Cherry or Pie Cherry Tree
Sweet Cherry Tree
Western Wild Cherry Tree
Wild Black Cherry or Rum Cherry Tree
Wild Goose Plum Tree
Wild Red Cherry or Pin Cherry Tree
Wild Red Plum or Yellow Plum Tree