Bloomipedia
American plum (Prunus americana)
Photo: Colin Croft via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

American plum

Prunus americana

American plum (Prunus americana) is a shrub or small tree in the Rosaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

American plum is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

43states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
4,719U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota

Quick look

Prunus americana, commonly called the American plum, wild plum, or Marshall's large yellow sweet plum, is a species of Prunus native to North America.

  • It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 43 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado, South Dakota and Nebraska. NatureServe
  • In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as white. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 24 ft. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 2,409 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #62 among the 160 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 242 research-grade sightings of it in South Dakota, ranking #57 among the 126 flowers on our South Dakota list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 240 research-grade sightings of it in Nebraska, ranking #60 among the 147 flowers on our Nebraska list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,653 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
ColoradoNativeApril–May2,409
South DakotaNativefew records (32)242
NebraskaNativeApril240

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
South Dakota
No list South Dakota's endangered and threatened list (ARSD 41:10:02) covers animals only, so we show NatureServe's South Dakota ranks for plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Dakota.
Nebraska
Not listed Not on Nebraska threatened and endangered species (163 Neb. Admin. Code ch. 4, § 004). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Nebraska. 163 NAC 4-004
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AR (S1), VT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: medium). Poisonous parts: leaves, seeds, stems. Symptoms they list: “The pits contain cyanide compounds, which are poisonous. If a couple of pits are accidentally swallowed, it will not cause poisoning. The pits are more poisonous if they are ground up/crushed or the seeds are chewed. Fruit that has not been pitted should not…” They also note: “Although the plums can be eaten raw, the quality is somewhat poor. The fruits are perhaps better used for preserves and jellies or dried to make prunes.” NC State Extension

For petsToxic to dogs, cats and horses

ASPCA's entry “Cherry” (Prunus spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Stems, leaves, seeds contain cyanide, particularly toxic in the process of wilting: brick red mucous membranes, dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, panting… ASPCA

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records American plum in 43 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Colorado counties with USDA records: Baca, Boulder, Custer, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Larimer, Las Animas, Pueblo, Washington, Yuma.

South Dakota counties with USDA records: Aurora, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clay, Codington, Corson, Custer, Dewey, Fall River, Gregory, Harding, Hughes, Lake, Lawrence, Lincoln, Lyman, Marshall, McCook, McPherson, Meade, Mellette, Minnehaha, Moody, Pennington, Perkins, Roberts, Stanley, Todd, Tripp, Union, Walworth, Ziebach.

Nebraska counties with USDA records: Antelope, Blaine, Boone, Box Butte, Brown, Buffalo, Burt, Butler, Cass, Cedar, Cherry, Cuming, Custer, Dakota, Dawes, Dawson, Douglas, Frontier, Gage, Garfield, Gosper, Hall, Harlan, Hooker, Howard, Jefferson, Kearney, Keya Paha, Knox, Lancaster, Lincoln, Loup, McPherson, Merrick, Nance, Nemaha, Pawnee, Phelps, Polk, Richardson, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Valley, Washington, Webster, York.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives American plum a high shade tolerance, none drought tolerance and medium moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.0 to 7.0 and winter lows down to -38 °F.

Shade tolerance
High
Drought tolerance
None
Moisture use
Medium
Soil textures it is adapted to
coarse, medium
Soil pH range
5.0 to 7.0
Minimum temperature tolerated
-38 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum)
100
Annual precipitation range
16 to 40 inches
Minimum root depth
24 inches
Salinity tolerance
Low
Fertility requirement
Medium
Growth rate
Moderate
Lifespan
Long
Active growth period
Spring and Summer
Fruit or seed
Red · Summer to Fall
Can be propagated by
bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability
Routinely Available

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for PRAM. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 1228 counties across 41 states; the most are in Kentucky (98), Illinois (88), Ohio (87).

Other Prunus on Bloomipedia (16): Black cherry, Chokecherry, Carolina laurelcherry, Beach plum, Peach, Cherry laurel, Fire cherry, Desert peach, Sweet cherry, European plum.

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Toyon, Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, Trailing blackberry.

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Sources