Taxon: Prunus americana Marshall

Summary

Genus:

Prunus

Subgenus:

Prunus

Section:

Prunocerasus

Family:

Rosaceae

Subfamily:

Amygdaloideae

Tribe:

Amygdaleae

Nomen number:

29831

Place of publication:

Arbust. amer. 111. 1785

Protologue link:

https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42762699

Verified:

03/09/2011 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

20 (14 active, 10 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Prunus americana Marshall var. americana

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Boonprakob, U. & D. H. Byrne. 2003. Species composition of Japanese plum founding clones as revealed by RAPD markers. Acta Hort. 622:473-476.
Bortiri, E. et al. 2001. Phylogeny and systematics of Prunus (Rosaceae) as determined by sequence analysis of ITS and the chloroplast trnL-trnF spacer DNA. Syst. Bot. 26:797-807. www.aspt.net/systematic-botany
Chin, S.-W. et al. 2014. Diversification of almonds, peaches, plums and cherries - Molecular systematics and biogeographic history of Prunus (Rosaceae). Molec. Phylogenet. Evol. 76:34-48.
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
Erhardt, W. et al. 2002. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 17. Auflage
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.
Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6 1:514-515.
Harrington, H. 1954. Manual of the plants of Colorado.
Hitchcock, C. L. et al. 1955-1969. Vascular plants of the Pacific Northwest.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
IPGRI. New World Fruits Database (on-line resource).
Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
Kunkel, G. 1984. Plants for human consumption
Lee, S. & J. Wen. 2001. A phylogenetic analysis of Prunus and the Amygdaloideae (Rosaceae) using ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Amer. J. Bot. 88:150-160. Note: as a member of section Prunocerasus
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Mowrey, B. D. & D. J. Werner. 1990. Phylogenetic relationships among species of Prunus as inferred by isozyme markers. Theor. Appl. Genet. 80:129-133.
Okie, W. R. & J. F. Hancock. 2008. Chapter 11. Plums. In: Hancock, J. F., ed., Temperate fruit crop breeding: germplasm to genomics 337-357.
Okie, W. R. 2001. Plum crazy: Rediscovering our lost Prunus resources. HortScience 36:209-213.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Rohrer, J. R. et al. 2004. Microsatellite analysis of relationships among North American plums (Prunus sect. Prunocerasus, Rosaceae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 244:69-75.
Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Shaw, J. & R. L. Small. 2004. Addressing the "hardest puzzle in American pomology:" Phylogeny of Prunus sect. Prunocerasus (Rosaceae) based on seven noncoding chloroplast DNA regions. Amer. J. Bot. 91:985-996.
Shaw, J. & R. L. Small. 2005. Chloroplast DNA phylogeny and phylogeography of the North American plums (Prunus subgenus Prunus section Prunocerasus, Rosaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 92:2011-2030.
Shi, S. et al. 2013. Phylogeny and classification of Prunus sensu lato (Rosaceae). J. Integr. Pl. Biol. 55:1069-1079.
Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
Wetter, M. A. et al. WISFLORA: Wisconsin vascular plant species (on-line resource).
Wofford, B. E. Database of Tennessee vascular plants (on-line resource).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
2018. Oklahoma vascular plant database

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	American plum	1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English	American red plum	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
English	goose plum	1	Erhardt, W. et al. 2002. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 17. Auflage
French	prunier américain	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
German	amerikanische Pflaume	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2002. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 17. Auflage
German	Amerikapflaume	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguese	ameixeira-americana	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	ciruelo americano	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedish	amerikanskt plommon	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	New Brunswick		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario	s.	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska		Shaw, J. & R. L. Small. 2005. Chloroplast DNA phylogeny and phylogeography of the North American plums (Prunus subgenus Prunus section Prunocerasus, Rosaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 92:2011-2030.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	North Dakota		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		Wetter, M. A. et al. WISFLORA: Wisconsin vascular plant species (on-line resource).
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana		Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Hampshire		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Jersey		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Rhode Island		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Vermont		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	West Virginia		Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado		Harrington, H. 1954. Manual of the plants of Colorado.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Idaho		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Montana		McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Wyoming		Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	New Mexico		Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Delaware		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	District of Columbia		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida	n.	Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maryland		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		Shaw, J. & R. L. Small. 2004. Addressing the "hardest puzzle in American pomology:" Phylogeny of Prunus sect. Prunocerasus (Rosaceae) based on seven noncoding chloroplast DNA regions. Amer. J. Bot. 91:985-996.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Utah		Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Manitoba	s.	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Saskatchewan	s.e.	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
2	Cultivated					also cult.

Native
Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [New Brunswick, Ontario (s.), Québec]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Manitoba (s.), Saskatchewan (s.e.)]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida (n.), Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [New Mexico]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Utah]

Cultivated (also cult.)

Reference(s)

Harrington, H. 1954. Manual of the plants of Colorado.
Jones, G. N. & G. D. Fuller. 1955. Vascular plants of Illinois.
Little, E. L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees, Agric. Handb. 541
Martin, W. C. & C. R. Hutchins. 1980. A flora of New Mexico.
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Rohrer, J. R. 2011. Prunus (Rosaceae). In: FNA Editorial Committee, Flora of North America. 9:378.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Shaw, J. & R. L. Small. 2004. Addressing the "hardest puzzle in American pomology:" Phylogeny of Prunus sect. Prunocerasus (Rosaceae) based on seven noncoding chloroplast DNA regions. Amer. J. Bot. 91:985-996.
Shaw, J. & R. L. Small. 2005. Chloroplast DNA phylogeny and phylogeography of the North American plums (Prunus subgenus Prunus section Prunocerasus, Rosaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 92:2011-2030.
Steyermark, J. A. 1977. Flora of Missouri.
Wetter, M. A. et al. WISFLORA: Wisconsin vascular plant species (on-line resource).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	ornamental		Kalinina, A. et al. 2007. Susceptibility of ornamental Prunus to plum pox potyvirus infection. Acta Hort. 738:601-605. Note: susceptible to disease
Human food	fruit	edible cultivars include hybrids	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=29831. Accessed 15 April 2026.