Mexican Plum
Prunus mexicana
Family: Rosaceae
What it is like
A small tree. It has a single trunk. The crown is open. It grows 6 m tall. The trunk is 15 cm wide. The leaves are 5-11 cm long by 3-5 cm wide. They are narrowly oval with a long pointed tip. There are fine double teeth along the edge. The leaves are yellow-green above and paler underneath. There are prominent veins underneath. The leaf stalks have 1-3 gland dots near the tip. The flowers are 19 mm long with 5 rounded white petals. There are 2-4 flowers in clusters on slender stalks. The fruit is a plum. It is 1.2-2.5 cm wide. The skin is purplish-red. It has a white bloom. The flesh is sweet. The stone is large.
There are about 200 Prunus species.
Where it is found
It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows up to 450 m altitude in SE region of the USA. It grows on the edge of the forest and the prairie.
Countries/locations it is found in
Canada, Central America, Mexico, North America, USA
How it is used for food
The plums are eaten fresh or dried. They are also used for preserves.
Edible parts
Fruit, seeds
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Bigtree Plum, Ciruela de monte, Inch plum