Flower ID: IMG_1530.JPG-05-22-2019 Flower name (scientific): Prunus americana Marshall PY: 1785. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) PROO-nus ah-mer-ih-KAY-nah Flower name (common): Wild Plum Family name (common): Rose Family name (scientific): Rosaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From classical Latin prūnus for plum tree. Specific epithet: From or of America. Common name origin: For its resemblance to the common plum Prunus domestica. Flower description: Size: 0.7 to 1.0 inches (1.8 to 2.5 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: white or red Other: flower arrangement, Cluster-flat Plant description: Size: 120 to 300 inches (3.0 to 7.6 m) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple Size: Leaves up to 11 cm long and 5.5 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, elliptic, broadly elliptic, or obovate, rarely ovate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): May to May Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Prairies, forests, thickets, woolands, fields, streambanks, pond margins, sun or part shade, mesic. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Prunus nigra (Canada Plum) has a resemblance. Prunus americana has sharp eglandular teeth on the leaf margins and leaves about 2 to 5.5 cm wide, whereas Prunus nigra has blunt glandular double teeth on the leaf margins and leaves 3 to 6.5 cm wide. Both Prunus angustifolia (Chickasaw Plum) and Prunus mexicana (Mexican Plum) have a resemblance, but these have not been reported from Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, though present in Illinois and more southern states. Ethnobotany: The Meskwaki used the bark of the root as a remedy for a canker in the mouth. They also eat the plums raw and prepare a plum butter for winter use (Smith, pp. 242, 263, 1928). Latitude: 44.799770 Longitude: -91.506125 Altitude: 261.80 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Outagamie, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) In Canada: (MB, ON, QC, SK) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na