Prunus angustifolia (Chickasaw Plum)

Chickasaw Plum is an early bloomer featuring sweet-scented white flowers. Blooms are followed by fruit that can be eaten fresh or used in baking. Birds and mammals eat the fruit. Various insects visit the flowers. It provides cover and nesting sites for wildlife, including northern bobwhite, painted bunting, Bell's vireo, brown thrasher and loggerhead shrike. It is important to lesser prairie-chickens for resting, escape, and thermal cover. Foliage turns pale yellow in the fall.

Chickasaw Plum grows in almost any soil, except strongly alkaline. Although partially shade tolerant, it performs best in full sun. The plums are drought tolerant and require little maintenance once established. Young plants should be protected from herbivores such as rabbits, deer, and cattle.

In full sun Chickasaw Plum grows dense and colonizes thickly; in the dappled shade of a woodland's edge it is more open and airy in appearance. Plant it where it has room to naturalize and it will ask for almost nothing in return.

Chickasaw Plum makes a great corner accent to a wildlife habitat backyard. It is an attractive, aromatic thicket plum for landscape restorations and shelter belt plantings.

AT A GLANCE

DISTRIBUTION MAPS 

USDA MAP

BONAP MAP

Present in state

Present in county and native

Native to North America, but adventive & escaped in state

Not present in state

Present and rare, native in county

Previously present, now extinct

Questionable presence (cross-hatched, regardless of color)