390 Species in Genus Prunus

A Deep Dive into Prunus: More Than Just Pretty Flowers

I’ve always been fascinated by the natural world, especially the incredible diversity of plants. One genus that has always caught my eye is Prunus. This genus is a member of the Rosaceae family, and it includes a wide variety of trees and shrubs that are known for their beautiful blossoms and delicious fruits. As an amateur botanist, I’m excited to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for this fascinating group of plants.

What is Prunus?

Prunus is a genus of over 390 species, and it is native to the Northern Hemisphere. Many of the species are cultivated for their fruit, including some of my personal favorites like cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and almonds. It’s amazing to think that such a diverse range of fruits comes from the same genus!

But Prunus isn’t just about the fruit. Many species are also grown for their ornamental value. In the spring, Prunus trees put on a spectacular show of blossoms in shades of white, pink, and red. These flowering trees are a common sight in parks and gardens, and they always bring a smile to my face.

A Closer Look at Prunus Species

The Prunus genus is incredibly diverse, and it can be divided into several subgenera:

  • Prunus: This subgenus includes plums and apricots.
  • Cerasus: This subgenus includes cherries.
  • Laurocerasus: This subgenus includes cherry laurels, which are evergreen shrubs.
  • Padus: This subgenus includes bird cherries, which have long clusters of white flowers.
  • Amygdalus: This subgenus includes almonds, which are known for their edible seeds.

Here are species within the Prunus genus:

  1. Prunus accumulans (Koehne) C.L.Li & Aymard
  2. Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman
  3. Prunus aitchisonii (Korsh.) Kitam.
  4. Prunus alaica (Pojark.) Gilli
  5. Prunus albicaulis Koehne ex Bornm.
  6. Prunus alidagensis Erol, Ciftci & Yaprak
  7. Prunus americana Marshall
  8. Prunus amplifolia Pilg.
  9. Prunus amygdalus Batsch Plant FAQs: Almond Tree – Prunus Dulcis/Prunus Amygdalus
  10. Prunus × andarobi Seraf.
  11. Prunus andersonii A.Gray
  12. Prunus angustifolia Marshall
  13. Prunus annularis Koehne
  14. Prunus antioquensis Pérez-Zab.
  15. Prunus apetala (Siebold & Zucc.) Franch. & Sav.
  16. Prunus aquifolioides (Chun ex T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu) W.C.Chen ex Huan C.Wang
  17. Prunus arabica (Olivier) Meikle
  18. Prunus arborea (Blume) Kalkman
  19. Prunus argentea (Lam.) Rehder
  20. Prunus armeniaca L.
  21. Prunus austrosinensis Huan C.Wang
  22. Prunus avium (L.) L. Plant FAQs: Bing Cherry – Prunus Avium
  23. Prunus axitliana Standl.
  24. Prunus balansae (Boiss.) Fritsch
  25. Prunus barbata Koehne
  26. Prunus beccarii (Ridl.) Kalkman
  27. Prunus bifrons Fritsch
  28. Prunus brachybotrya Zucc.
  29. Prunus brachypetala (Boiss.) Walp.
  30. Prunus brachypoda Batalin
  31. Prunus brachystachya Kalkman
  32. Prunus bracteopadus Koehne
  33. Prunus brahuica (Boiss.) Aitch. & Hemsl.
  34. Prunus brasiliensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) D.Dietr.
  35. Prunus brassii Kalkman
  36. Prunus brigantina Vill.
  37. Prunus brittoniana Rusby
  38. Prunus browiczii (Freitag) Eisenman
  39. Prunus brunnescens (T.T.Yu & T.C.Ku) J.R.He
  40. Prunus bucharica (Korsh.) Hand.-Mazz.
  41. Prunus buergeriana Miq.
  42. Prunus buxifolia Koehne
  43. Prunus campanulata Maxim.
  44. Prunus canescens Bois
  45. Prunus carduchorum (Bornm.) Meikle
  46. Prunus caroliniana (Mill.) Aiton
  47. Prunus cathayana (D.L.Fu, B.R.Li & J.Hong Li) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  48. Prunus caudata Franch.
  49. Prunus ceraseidos Maxim.
  50. Prunus cerasia Blanche ex Post
  51. Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. Plant FAQs: Cherry Plum – Prunus Cerasifera
  52. Prunus cerasoides Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
  53. Prunus cerasus L.
  54. Prunus cercocarpifolia Villarreal
  55. Prunus ceylanica (Wight) Miq.
  56. Prunus chamissoana Koehne
  57. Prunus chiapensis Standl. & L.O.Williams ex Ant.Molina
  58. Prunus × chichibuensis H.Kubota & Moriya
  59. Prunus chiliangensis S.S.Ying
  60. Prunus × chodshaatensis (Pjataeva & Lincz.) Sennikov
  61. Prunus choreiana Nakai ex T.Kawamoto
  62. Prunus chorossanica (Pojark.) Rech.f.
  63. Prunus clarofolia C.K.Schneid.
  64. Prunus clementis (Merr.) Kalkman
  65. Prunus cocomilia Ten.
  66. Prunus compacta L.O.Williams
  67. Prunus × compta (Koidz.) Tatew.
  68. Prunus conadenia Koehne
  69. Prunus conradinae Koehne
  70. Prunus cornuta (Wall. ex Royle) Steud.
  71. Prunus cortapico Kerber ex Koehne
  72. Prunus costata (Hemsl.) Kalkman
  73. Prunus crassifolia (Hauman) Kalkman
  74. Prunus crataegifolia Hand.-Mazz.
  75. Prunus cyclamina Koehne
  76. Prunus darvasica Temb.
  77. Prunus × dasycarpa Ehrh.
  78. Prunus davidiana (Carrière) Franch.
  79. Prunus × dawyckensis Sealy
  80. Prunus debilis Koehne
  81. Prunus detrita J.F.Macbr.
  82. Prunus dictyoneura Diels
  83. Prunus dinabandhuana Mekrini & Biseshwori
  84. Prunus discadenia Koehne
  85. Prunus discoidea (T.T.Yu & C.L.Li) Z.Wei & Y.B.Chang
  86. Prunus discolor (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
  87. Prunus dolichadenia Cardot
  88. Prunus dolichobotrys (Lauterb. & K.Schum.) Kalkman
  89. Prunus dolichophylla (T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  90. Prunus domestica L.
  91. Prunus douglasii Basualdo & Zardini
  92. Prunus eburnea (Spach) Aitch.
  93. Prunus elaeagrifolia (Spach) Fritsch
  94. Prunus emarginata (Douglas ex Hook.) Eaton
  95. Prunus × eminens Beck
  96. Prunus eremophila Prigge
  97. Prunus erioclada (Bornm.) ined.
  98. Prunus erythrocarpa (Nevski) Gilli
  99. Prunus erythroxylon Koehne
  100. Prunus falcata Cuatrec.
  101. Prunus fasciculata (Torr.) A.Gray
  102. Prunus fenzliana Fritsch
  103. Prunus × ferganica O.A.Lincz.
  104. Prunus ferruginea (DC. ex Ser.) Steud.
  105. Prunus × fontanesiana (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
  106. Prunus fordiana Dunn
  107. Prunus fragrans (Elmer) Kalkman
  108. Prunus fremontii S.Watson
  109. Prunus × fruticans Weihe
  110. Prunus fruticosa Pall.
  111. Prunus fujianensis (Y.T.Chang) J.Wen
  112. Prunus × furuseana Ohwi
  113. Prunus gazelle-peninsulae (Kaneh. & Hatus.) Kalkman
  114. Prunus geniculata R.M.Harper
  115. Prunus gentryi Standl.
  116. Prunus georgica (Desf.) Eisenman
  117. Prunus ghahremanii (Maroofi, Attar & Vafadar) Falat.
  118. Prunus glabrifolia Kalkman
  119. Prunus glandulosa Thunb.
  120. Prunus glauca (Browicz) A.E.Murray
  121. Prunus × gondouinii (Poit. & Turpin) Rehder
  122. Prunus gongshanensis J.Wen
  123. Prunus gracilis Engelm. & A.Gray
  124. Prunus grayana Maxim.
  125. Prunus griffithii (Boiss.) C.K.Schneid.
  126. Prunus grisea (Blume ex Müll.Berol.) Kalkman
  127. Prunus guanaiensis Rusby
  128. Prunus guanwuensis S.S.Ying
  129. Prunus guatemalensis I.M.Johnst.
  130. Prunus gyirongensis Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  131. Prunus hainanensis (G.A.Fu & Y.S.Lin) W.C.Chen
  132. Prunus harae H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
  133. Prunus hargraonensis (Vassilcz.) Ghora & Panigrahi
  134. Prunus haussknechtii C.K.Schneid.
  135. Prunus havardii (W.Wight) S.C.Mason
  136. Prunus hefengensis (X.R.Wang & C.B.Shang) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  137. Prunus henryi (C.K.Schneid.) Koehne
  138. Prunus herthae Diels
  139. Prunus himalaica Kitam.
  140. Prunus himalayana J.Wen
  141. Prunus hippophaeoides (Bornm.) Bornm.
  142. Prunus hirtipes Hemsl.
  143. Prunus × hisauchiana Koidz. ex Hisauti
  144. Prunus hongiaoensis Tagane & Yahara
  145. Prunus hongpingensis (C.L.Li) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  146. Prunus hortulana L.H.Bailey
  147. Prunus huantensis Pilg.
  148. Prunus humilis Bunge
  149. Prunus hypoleuca (Koehne) J.Wen
  150. Prunus hypotricha Rehder
  151. Prunus hypotrichodes Cardot
  152. Prunus hypoxantha (Koehne) J.Wen
  153. Prunus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) D.Dietr.
  154. Prunus incana (Pall.) Batsch
  155. Prunus incisa Thunb.
  156. Prunus incisoserrata (T.T.Yu & T.C.Ku) J.Wen
  157. Prunus insititia L.
  158. Prunus × insueta (S.Serafimov) S.Serafimov
  159. Prunus integrifolia (C.Presl) Walp.
  160. Prunus × iranshahrii (Khat.) Eisenman
  161. Prunus itosakura Siebold
  162. Prunus jacquemontii Hook.f.
  163. Prunus jajarkotensis H.Hara
  164. Prunus jamasakura (Makino) Siebold ex Koidz.
  165. Prunus japonica Thunb.
  166. Prunus javanica (Teijsm. & Binn.) Miq.
  167. Prunus × javorkae Kárpáti
  168. Prunus jenkinsii Hook.f. & Thomson
  169. Prunus jugata (Browicz) A.E.Murray
  170. Prunus kaengkrachanensis Nagam., Tagane & Suddee
  171. Prunus × kamiaranensis (Khat. & Assadi) Eisenman
  172. Prunus kansuensis Rehder
  173. Prunus × keredjensis (Browicz) A.E.Murray
  174. Prunus kinabaluensis Kalkman
  175. Prunus koelzii (Browicz) A.E.Murray
  176. Prunus korshinskyi Hand.-Mazz.
  177. Prunus kotschyi (Boiss. & Hohen. ex Spach) Meikle
  178. Prunus × kubotana Kawas.
  179. Prunus kuramica (Korsh.) Kitam.
  180. Prunus kurdistanica (Attar, Maroofi & Vafadar) Eisenman
  181. Prunus lamponga (Miq.) Kalkman
  182. Prunus lancilimba (Merr.) Kalkman
  183. Prunus laurocerasus L. Plant FAQs: Skip Laurel – Prunus Laurocerasus
  184. Prunus laxinervis Kalkman
  185. Prunus ledebouriana (Schltdl.) Y.Y.Yao
  186. Prunus leiocarpa (Boiss.) Fritsch
  187. Prunus leucophylla Blatt.
  188. Prunus leveilleana Koehne
  189. Prunus ligustrina Koehne
  190. Prunus limeixing (J.Y.Zhang & Z.M.Wang) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  191. Prunus littlei Pérez-Zab.
  192. Prunus longispinosa Shahbaz & Abdulr.
  193. Prunus lundelliana Standl.
  194. Prunus lusitanica L.
  195. Prunus lycioides (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
  196. Prunus maackii Rupr.
  197. Prunus mahaleb L.
  198. Prunus malayana Kalkman
  199. Prunus mandshurica (Maxim.) Koehne
  200. Prunus maritima Marshall
  201. Prunus marsupialis Kalkman
  202. Prunus matudae Lundell
  203. Prunus maximowiczii Rupr.
  204. Prunus mazandaranica Habibi, H.Maleki & Attar
  205. Prunus megacarpa Pérez-Zab.
  206. Prunus menghaiensis (T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu) Huan C.Wang
  207. Prunus mexicana S.Watson
  208. Prunus microcarpa C.A.Mey.
  209. Prunus microphylla (Kunth) Hemsl.
  210. Prunus minutiflora Engelm. ex A.Gray
  211. Prunus mira Koehne
  212. Prunus × mitsuminensis Moriya
  213. Prunus × miyasakana H.Kubota
  214. Prunus × mohacsyana Kárpáti
  215. Prunus mongolica Maxim.
  216. Prunus moritziana Koehne
  217. Prunus × mozaffarianii (Khat.) Eisenman
  218. Prunus mugus Hand.-Mazz.
  219. Prunus mume (Siebold) Siebold & Zucc.
  220. Prunus munsoniana W.Wight & Hedrick
  221. Prunus muris Cuatrec.
  222. Prunus murrayana E.J.Palmer
  223. Prunus myrtifolia (L.) Urb.
  224. Prunus × nachichevanica Kudr.
  225. Prunus nairica (Fed. & Takht.) Eisenman
  226. Prunus napaulensis (Ser.) Steud.
  227. Prunus nigra Aiton
  228. Prunus nipponica Matsum.
  229. Prunus × nudiflora (Koehne) Koidz.
  230. Prunus nutantiflora D.G.Zhang & Z.H.Xiang
  231. Prunus oblonga J.F.Macbr.
  232. Prunus obtusata Koehne
  233. Prunus occidentalis Sw.
  234. Prunus ocellata Koehne
  235. Prunus ochoterenae D.Ramírez
  236. Prunus oleifolia Koehne
  237. Prunus oligantha Kalkman
  238. Prunus omissa Koehne
  239. Prunus × oneyamensis Hayashi
  240. Prunus oocarpa (Stapf) Kalkman
  241. Prunus opaca (Benth.) Walp.
  242. Prunus orazii (Attar, Maroofi & Vafadar) Eisenman
  243. Prunus × orthosepala Koehne
  244. Prunus ovalis Ruiz ex Koehne
  245. Prunus pabotii (Browicz) Eisenman
  246. Prunus padus L.
  247. Prunus × palmeri Sarg.
  248. Prunus pananensis Z.L.Chen, W.J.Chen & X.F.Jin
  249. Prunus paradoxa (Dehshiri & Mozaff.) Falat.
  250. Prunus patentipila Hand.-Mazz.
  251. Prunus pearcei Rusby
  252. Prunus pedunculata (Pall.) Maxim.
  253. Prunus pensylvanica L.f.
  254. Prunus persica (L.) Batsch
  255. Prunus perulata Koehne
  256. Prunus petunnikowii (Litv.) Rehder
  257. Prunus phaeosticta (Hance) Maxim.
  258. Prunus pleiantha Pilg.
  259. Prunus pleiocerasus Koehne
  260. Prunus podperae Nábělek
  261. Prunus pogonostyla Maxim.
  262. Prunus polystachya (Hook.f.) Kalkman
  263. Prunus polytricha Koehne
  264. Prunus prostrata Labill.
  265. Prunus pseudocerasus Lindl.
  266. Prunus pseudoprostrata (Pojark.) Rech.f.
  267. Prunus pulgarensis (Elmer) Kalkman
  268. Prunus pullei (Koehne) Kalkman
  269. Prunus pumila L.
  270. Prunus pusilliflora Cardot
  271. Prunus pygeoides Koehne
  272. Prunus quanzhouensis Jian L.Li, S.H.Liang & R.H.Jiang
  273. Prunus ramburii Boiss.
  274. Prunus ramonensis (Danin) Eisenman
  275. Prunus ravenii Zardini & Basualdo
  276. Prunus rechingeri (Browicz) A.E.Murray
  277. Prunus reflexa (Gardner) Walp.
  278. Prunus rhamnoides Koehne
  279. Prunus × rhodia (Browicz) Eisenman
  280. Prunus rigida Koehne
  281. Prunus rivularis Scheele
  282. Prunus rotunda J.F.Macbr.
  283. Prunus rubiginosa (Elmer) Kalkman
  284. Prunus rufa Wall. ex Hook.f.
  285. Prunus rufoides C.K.Schneid.
  286. Prunus ruiziana Koehne
  287. Prunus runemarkii Eisenman
  288. Prunus × sacra Miyoshi
  289. Prunus salasii Standl.
  290. Prunus salicina Lindl.
  291. Prunus samydoides Schltdl.
  292. Prunus sargentii Rehder
  293. Prunus × saviczii (Pachom.) Eisenman
  294. Prunus schlechteri (Koehne) Kalkman
  295. Prunus schneideriana Koehne
  296. Prunus sclerophylla Kalkman
  297. Prunus scoparia (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
  298. Prunus × sefinensis (Bornm.) A.E.Murray
  299. Prunus serotina Ehrh.
  300. Prunus serrula Franch.
  301. Prunus serrulata Lindl.
  302. Prunus setulosa Batalin
  303. Prunus shikokuensis (Moriya) H.Kubota
  304. Prunus sibirica L.
  305. Prunus × simmleri Palez.
  306. Prunus simonii (Decne.) Bonard
  307. Prunus singalilaensis H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
  308. Prunus × slavinii E.J.Palmer ex Rehder
  309. Prunus spartioides (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
  310. Prunus speciosa (Koidz.) Nakai
  311. Prunus spicata Kalkman
  312. Prunus spinosa L.
  313. Prunus spinosissima (Bunge) Franch.
  314. Prunus spinulosa Siebold & Zucc.
  315. Prunus ssiori F.Schmidt
  316. Prunus × stacei Wójcicki
  317. Prunus stellipila Koehne
  318. Prunus stipulacea Maxim.
  319. Prunus stipulata J.F.Macbr.
  320. Prunus strobilifera Cuatrec.
  321. Prunus subcordata Benth.
  322. Prunus subcoriacea (Chodat & Hassl.) Koehne
  323. Prunus subcorymbosa Ruiz ex Koehne
  324. Prunus subglabra (Merr.) Kalkman
  325. Prunus × subhirtella Miq.
  326. Prunus sunhangii D.G.Zhang & T.Deng
  327. Prunus susakensis (Vassilcz.) Eisenman
  328. Prunus susquehanae Willd.
  329. Prunus × syodoi Nakai
  330. Prunus × syriaca Borkh.
  331. Prunus szechuanica Batalin
  332. Prunus tadzhikistanica Zaprjagaeva
  333. Prunus takesimensis Nakai
  334. Prunus tangutica (Batalin) Koehne
  335. Prunus taplejungnica H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
  336. Prunus tartarea Lundell
  337. Prunus tatsienensis Batalin
  338. Prunus tayulinensis S.S.Ying
  339. Prunus tenella Batsch
  340. Prunus tetradenia Koehne
  341. Prunus texana D.Dietr.
  342. Prunus tomentosa Thunb.
  343. Prunus topengii (Merr.) J.Wen & L.Zhao
  344. Prunus topkegolensis H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
  345. Prunus transarisanensis Hayata
  346. Prunus trichamygdalus Hand.-Mazz.
  347. Prunus trichantha Koehne
  348. Prunus trichostoma Koehne
  349. Prunus triloba Lindl.
  350. Prunus × tschonoskii Koehne
  351. Prunus tuberculata Koehne
  352. Prunus tucumanensis Lillo
  353. Prunus turcomanica (Lincz.) Kitam.
  354. Prunus turfosa Kalkman
  355. Prunus turneriana (F.M.Bailey) Kalkman
  356. Prunus ulei Koehne
  357. Prunus ulmifolia Franch.
  358. Prunus umbellata Elliott
  359. Prunus undulata Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
  360. Prunus urartu (Tamamsch.) Eisenman
  361. Prunus urotaenia Koehne
  362. Prunus urumiensis (Bornm.) A.E.Murray
  363. Prunus × uzbekistanica (Sabirov) Eisenman
  364. Prunus vachuschtii Bregadze
  365. Prunus × vavilovii (Popov) A.E.Murray
  366. Prunus veitchii Koehne
  367. Prunus velutina Batalin
  368. Prunus verrucosa Franch.
  369. Prunus versteeghii Kalkman
  370. Prunus virginiana L. Plant FAQs: Chokecherry – Prunus Virginiana
  371. Prunus walkeri (Wight) Kalkman
  372. Prunus wallaceana Kalkman
  373. Prunus wangii Q.L.Gan, Z.Y.Li & S.Z.Xu
  374. Prunus webbii (Spach) Fritsch
  375. Prunus wendelboi (Freitag) Eisenman
  376. Prunus wilsonii (C.K.Schneid.) Koehne
  377. Prunus xianjuxing (J.Y.Zhang & X.Z.Wu) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  378. Prunus xingshanensis Huan C.Wang
  379. Prunus yaoiana (W.L.Cheng) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  380. Prunus × yasujensis (Khat.) Eisenman
  381. Prunus yazdiana (Mozaff.) Falat.
  382. Prunus × yedoensis Matsum. Plant FAQs: Yoshino Cherry Tree – Prunus x Yedoensis
  383. Prunus yunkaishanensis B.H.Wu, W.Y.Zhao & W.B.Liao
  384. Prunus yunnanensis Franch.
  385. Prunus × yuyamae Sugim.
  386. Prunus zabulica (Seraf.) Eisenman
  387. Prunus zhengheensis (J.Y.Zhang & M.N.Lu) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
  388. Prunus zielinskii (Browicz) Kosiński, D.Tomasz. & Ziel.
  389. Prunus zinggii Standl.
  390. Prunus zippeliana Miq.

The Importance of Prunus

Prunus species play an important role in both the natural world and human society. In the wild, they provide food and habitat for a variety of animals. For humans, they are a source of food, medicine, and beauty.

The fruit of many Prunus species is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Almonds, for example, are a good source of vitamin E, magnesium, and fiber. Cherries are a good source of vitamin C and potassium.

Prunus species have also been used in traditional medicine for centuries. The bark of the blackthorn, for example, has been used to treat diarrhea and dysentery. The leaves of the cherry laurel have been used to treat coughs and colds.

And of course, Prunus species are also valued for their beauty. The flowering trees are a popular choice for landscaping, and the fruit trees add a touch of elegance to any garden.

My Personal Connection to Prunus

I have a special fondness for Prunus trees. Growing up, we had a beautiful cherry tree in our backyard. Every spring, I would eagerly await the appearance of its delicate blossoms. The tree was a source of joy and wonder for me, and it sparked my interest in the natural world.

Even today, I still find myself drawn to Prunus trees. I love to visit botanical gardens and arboretums to see the different species in bloom. And I always make sure to have a few Prunus trees in my own garden.

I believe that Prunus trees are a symbol of hope and renewal. Their beautiful blossoms remind us that even after a long winter, spring will always return. And their delicious fruits are a reminder of the bounty of nature.

I encourage everyone to take some time to appreciate the beauty and diversity of Prunus trees. They are a true gift to the world.

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