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WILD PLUM. 

 Prunus americana, Marshall. 



FOBU A small tree from 9-30 ft. high with a iiameter of 6-12 inches. Trunk short, bearing 



many wide-spreading, often drooping branches foiniing a deep and rather broad crown. 



BAEK At first with a smooth grayish-brown birk, later becoming rough like the Wild 



Cherry by breaking up Into thin dark brown plates. 



TWIGS — Bather stoat, at first hairy and light green, later smooth and reddish-brown, covered 

 with a few rODCdish Ituticels. Twigs often bear numerous spurUke spines. 



BUDS^Alternate; terminal one absent; about J of an inch' long, broadly conical, sharp- 

 pointed, brown, covered with numerous triangular scales which are pale and hairy along the 

 margin. 



LEAVES — Alternate, simple, lJ-4 Inches long, narrowly obovate. taper-pointed at apes, 

 usually rounded at base, sharply and doubly serrate on margin, firm, dark green, and rough 

 ibove, paler and hairy below. 



LEAF-SCAiS — Alternate, more than 2 ranked, broadly crescent shaped, with 3 conspicuous 

 bundle-scars. 



FLOWERS — Appear about May when the leaves are i developed. They are perfect, white, 

 1 Inch across, occur on slender smooth stalks arranged in 2-5-flowered umbels. 



FHTriT Matures In late summer or early autumn. It is a snbglobose drupe becoming red 



at full maturity, about 1 Inch In diameter, with a thick tough skin and a flattened oval stone. 



WOOD— Diffuse-porous; hard, heavy, strong, close-grained, reddish-brown, shiny, with thin 

 sapwood. Weighs about 46 lbs. per cuttle foot. 



DISTINGTnSHING CHARACTEEISTICS — The Wild Plum also known as the Wild Yellow 

 Plum and Red Plum, can be distinguished from the other members of this genus here described 

 by the abtenee of a teiminal bud. by the characteristic bitter aromatic taste of the twigs 

 and by its red globose fruit about 1 inch in diameter, covered with a thick tough skin and 

 containing a smooth oval flattened stone. Another species of Plum known as Porter's Plum or 

 Sloe (Prunus nlleghanieusis). is native to this State. It is distinguished by its purple fruit 

 which is usually covered with a bloom, rarely over i of an inch in diameter and seldom spiny. 



RANGE New York soutli to Florida, westward to Montana, Colorado, and Texas. 



DISTRIBTTTION IN PENNSYLVANIA — Found locally throughout the State. Most common In 

 the southeastern and southern parts, present but rarer in other parts. 



HABITAT Prefers rather moist rich soil. Common along banks of streams and borders of 



woods. 



IMPORTANCE OF IKE SPECIES — This small tree is of no commercial importance on account 

 of the limber which it produces, but it forms an excellent stock upon which to graft the 

 Domestic Plum. It responds very readily to the attention which a gardener may give to It. 

 The fruit U used for preserves and Jellies. It is attractive ornamentally on account of its 

 fine form, beautiful foliage, and profusion of attractive flowers. 



