﻿Trees of New York State 259 



ROSACEAE 



Primus nigra Ait. 



Canada Plum, Red Plum 



Habit — A shrub or occasionally a small, bushy tree 20-30 feet in height 

 ■i\ith a trunk diameter of 3-6 inches. Bole short, dividing 5-G feet above 

 the ground into a number of stout, ascending limbs to form a low-spread- 

 ing, rounded top of many rigid, more or less contorted branches and zigzag 

 twigs. 



Leaves — Alternate, oblong-ovate to obovate, 3-5 inches long, ]/■/•> -3 inches 

 wide, abruptly acuminate at the apex, rounded or somewliat cuneate at 

 the base, unequally crenulate-serrate with gland-tipped teeth, at maturity 

 thick, firm, dull dark green and glabrous above, paler, somewhat pubescent 

 and with prominent midrib beneath, borne on stout, usually biglandular 

 petioles ^/^-l inch long. 



Flowers — Appearing in April or May before the leaves, perfect, %-l inch 

 broad, borne on red pedicels %-% of an inch long in .^-5-flowered. lateral 

 glabrous umbels. Calyx-tube urn-shaped, dark red without, Drigut red 

 ■within, 5-lobed, the lobes lanceolate, glandular-toothed, usually somewhat 

 pubescent above, reflexed after anthesis. Petals 5, wliite fading to pink 

 ■with a^e, orbicular-obovate, rounded and somewhat erose at the apex, 

 short-clawed at the base, inserted ^^•ith the stamens on the calyx-tube. 

 Stamens about 30, ^\•ith long, filiform filaments and small, oval anthers. 

 Pistil green, glabrous, consisting of a 1-celled ovary inserted in the bottom 

 of the calyx-tube, a filiform style, and broad, simple stigma. 



Fruit — An oval or oblong-oval, slightly glaucous, thick-skinned, orange-re'i 

 drupe, 1-1%: inches long, ripening during the latter half of August. 

 Flesh yellow, sour, adhering to the stone. Stone oval, tliick-walled, com- 

 pressed, slightly grooved on one side. Seed ovate, light brown, compressed. 



Winter characters — T^vigs rather stout, slightly zigzag, glabrous or some- 

 what puberulous, dark reddish brown and partly covered Avith a grayish, 

 evanescent skin. Lateral spinescent spurs usually present. Terminal bud 

 absent. Lateral buds conical, acute, chestnut-broA\ni, about Vg of an 

 incli long. Mature bark thin, light grayish browai, at first smooth and 

 marked with prominent, horizontally elongated lenticels, soon splitting 

 and curling back in thick-layered plates exposing the darker, inner scaly 

 bark. 



Habitat — A "Aveed" tree preferring moist sites along fence rows, abandoned 

 pastures, and in open glades and the margin of woods. Thrives on lime- 

 stone outcrops. 



Bange — -Newfoundland westward through southern Canada to Minnesota, 

 southward into New England, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and 

 Iowa. Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — Occasionally cultivated for its sho^n-y floAvers in southern Canada and 

 the northeastern states. Several varieties of cultivated plums have been 

 derived from this species by horticulturists. 



