390 Species of Genus Prunus

Table of Contents

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:

Prunus accumulans (Koehne) C.L.Li & Aymard
Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman
Prunus aitchisonii (Korsh.) Kitam.
Prunus alaica (Pojark.) Gilli
Prunus albicaulis Koehne ex Bornm.
Prunus alidagensis Erol, Ciftci & Yaprak
Prunus americana Marshall
Prunus amplifolia Pilg.
Prunus amygdalus Batsch
Prunus × andarobi Seraf.
Prunus andersonii A.Gray
Prunus angustifolia Marshall
Prunus annularis Koehne
Prunus antioquensis Pérez-Zab.
Prunus apetala (Siebold & Zucc.) Franch. & Sav.
Prunus aquifolioides (Chun ex T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu) W.C.Chen ex Huan C.Wang
Prunus arabica (Olivier) Meikle
Prunus arborea (Blume) Kalkman
Prunus argentea (Lam.) Rehder
Prunus armeniaca L.
Prunus austrosinensis Huan C.Wang
Prunus avium (L.) L.
Prunus axitliana Standl.
Prunus balansae (Boiss.) Fritsch
Prunus barbata Koehne
Prunus beccarii (Ridl.) Kalkman
Prunus bifrons Fritsch
Prunus brachybotrya Zucc.
Prunus brachypetala (Boiss.) Walp.
Prunus brachypoda Batalin
Prunus brachystachya Kalkman
Prunus bracteopadus Koehne
Prunus brahuica (Boiss.) Aitch. & Hemsl.
Prunus brasiliensis (Cham. & Schltdl.) D.Dietr.
Prunus brassii Kalkman
Prunus brigantina Vill.
Prunus brittoniana Rusby
Prunus browiczii (Freitag) Eisenman
Prunus brunnescens (T.T.Yu & T.C.Ku) J.R.He
Prunus bucharica (Korsh.) Hand.-Mazz.
Prunus buergeriana Miq.
Prunus buxifolia Koehne
Prunus campanulata Maxim.
Prunus canescens Bois
Prunus carduchorum (Bornm.) Meikle
Prunus caroliniana (Mill.) Aiton
Prunus cathayana (D.L.Fu, B.R.Li & J.Hong Li) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus caudata Franch.
Prunus ceraseidos Maxim.
Prunus cerasia Blanche ex Post
Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.
Prunus cerasoides Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
Prunus cerasus L.
Prunus cercocarpifolia Villarreal
Prunus ceylanica (Wight) Miq.
Prunus chamissoana Koehne
Prunus chiapensis Standl. & L.O.Williams ex Ant.Molina
Prunus × chichibuensis H.Kubota & Moriya
Prunus chiliangensis S.S.Ying
Prunus × chodshaatensis (Pjataeva & Lincz.) Sennikov
Prunus choreiana Nakai ex T.Kawamoto
Prunus chorossanica (Pojark.) Rech.f.
Prunus clarofolia C.K.Schneid.
Prunus clementis (Merr.) Kalkman
Prunus cocomilia Ten.
Prunus compacta L.O.Williams
Prunus × compta (Koidz.) Tatew.
Prunus conadenia Koehne
Prunus conradinae Koehne
Prunus cornuta (Wall. ex Royle) Steud.
Prunus cortapico Kerber ex Koehne
Prunus costata (Hemsl.) Kalkman
Prunus crassifolia (Hauman) Kalkman
Prunus crataegifolia Hand.-Mazz.
Prunus cyclamina Koehne
Prunus darvasica Temb.
Prunus × dasycarpa Ehrh.
Prunus davidiana (Carrière) Franch.
Prunus × dawyckensis Sealy
Prunus debilis Koehne
Prunus detrita J.F.Macbr.
Prunus dictyoneura Diels
Prunus dinabandhuana Mekrini & Biseshwori
Prunus discadenia Koehne
Prunus discoidea (T.T.Yu & C.L.Li) Z.Wei & Y.B.Chang
Prunus discolor (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
Prunus dolichadenia Cardot
Prunus dolichobotrys (Lauterb. & K.Schum.) Kalkman
Prunus dolichophylla (T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus domestica L.
Prunus douglasii Basualdo & Zardini
Prunus eburnea (Spach) Aitch.
Prunus elaeagrifolia (Spach) Fritsch
Prunus emarginata (Douglas ex Hook.) Eaton
Prunus × eminens Beck
Prunus eremophila Prigge
Prunus erioclada (Bornm.) ined.
Prunus erythrocarpa (Nevski) Gilli
Prunus erythroxylon Koehne
Prunus falcata Cuatrec.
Prunus fasciculata (Torr.) A.Gray
Prunus fenzliana Fritsch
Prunus × ferganica O.A.Lincz.
Prunus ferruginea (DC. ex Ser.) Steud.
Prunus × fontanesiana (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
Prunus fordiana Dunn
Prunus fragrans (Elmer) Kalkman
Prunus fremontii S.Watson
Prunus × fruticans Weihe
Prunus fruticosa Pall.
Prunus fujianensis (Y.T.Chang) J.Wen
Prunus × furuseana Ohwi
Prunus gazelle-peninsulae (Kaneh. & Hatus.) Kalkman
Prunus geniculata R.M.Harper
Prunus gentryi Standl.
Prunus georgica (Desf.) Eisenman
Prunus ghahremanii (Maroofi, Attar & Vafadar) Falat.
Prunus glabrifolia Kalkman
Prunus glandulosa Thunb.
Prunus glauca (Browicz) A.E.Murray
Prunus × gondouinii (Poit. & Turpin) Rehder
Prunus gongshanensis J.Wen
Prunus gracilis Engelm. & A.Gray
Prunus grayana Maxim.
Prunus griffithii (Boiss.) C.K.Schneid.
Prunus grisea (Blume ex Müll.Berol.) Kalkman
Prunus guanaiensis Rusby
Prunus guanwuensis S.S.Ying
Prunus guatemalensis I.M.Johnst.
Prunus gyirongensis Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus hainanensis (G.A.Fu & Y.S.Lin) W.C.Chen
Prunus harae H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
Prunus hargraonensis (Vassilcz.) Ghora & Panigrahi
Prunus haussknechtii C.K.Schneid.
Prunus havardii (W.Wight) S.C.Mason
Prunus hefengensis (X.R.Wang & C.B.Shang) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus henryi (C.K.Schneid.) Koehne
Prunus herthae Diels
Prunus himalaica Kitam.
Prunus himalayana J.Wen
Prunus hippophaeoides (Bornm.) Bornm.
Prunus hirtipes Hemsl.
Prunus × hisauchiana Koidz. ex Hisauti
Prunus hongiaoensis Tagane & Yahara
Prunus hongpingensis (C.L.Li) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus hortulana L.H.Bailey
Prunus huantensis Pilg.
Prunus humilis Bunge
Prunus hypoleuca (Koehne) J.Wen
Prunus hypotricha Rehder
Prunus hypotrichodes Cardot
Prunus hypoxantha (Koehne) J.Wen
Prunus ilicifolia (Nutt. ex Hook. & Arn.) D.Dietr.
Prunus incana (Pall.) Batsch
Prunus incisa Thunb.
Prunus incisoserrata (T.T.Yu & T.C.Ku) J.Wen
Prunus insititia L.
Prunus × insueta (S.Serafimov) S.Serafimov
Prunus integrifolia (C.Presl) Walp.
Prunus × iranshahrii (Khat.) Eisenman
Prunus itosakura Siebold
Prunus jacquemontii Hook.f.
Prunus jajarkotensis H.Hara
Prunus jamasakura (Makino) Siebold ex Koidz.
Prunus japonica Thunb.
Prunus javanica (Teijsm. & Binn.) Miq.
Prunus × javorkae Kárpáti
Prunus jenkinsii Hook.f. & Thomson
Prunus jugata (Browicz) A.E.Murray
Prunus kaengkrachanensis Nagam., Tagane & Suddee
Prunus × kamiaranensis (Khat. & Assadi) Eisenman
Prunus kansuensis Rehder
Prunus × keredjensis (Browicz) A.E.Murray
Prunus kinabaluensis Kalkman
Prunus koelzii (Browicz) A.E.Murray
Prunus korshinskyi Hand.-Mazz.
Prunus kotschyi (Boiss. & Hohen. ex Spach) Meikle
Prunus × kubotana Kawas.
Prunus kuramica (Korsh.) Kitam.
Prunus kurdistanica (Attar, Maroofi & Vafadar) Eisenman
Prunus lamponga (Miq.) Kalkman
Prunus lancilimba (Merr.) Kalkman
Prunus laurocerasus L.
Prunus laxinervis Kalkman
Prunus ledebouriana (Schltdl.) Y.Y.Yao
Prunus leiocarpa (Boiss.) Fritsch
Prunus leucophylla Blatt.
Prunus leveilleana Koehne
Prunus ligustrina Koehne
Prunus limeixing (J.Y.Zhang & Z.M.Wang) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus littlei Pérez-Zab.
Prunus longispinosa Shahbaz & Abdulr.
Prunus lundelliana Standl.
Prunus lusitanica L.
Prunus lycioides (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
Prunus maackii Rupr.
Prunus mahaleb L.
Prunus malayana Kalkman
Prunus mandshurica (Maxim.) Koehne
Prunus maritima Marshall
Prunus marsupialis Kalkman
Prunus matudae Lundell
Prunus maximowiczii Rupr.
Prunus mazandaranica Habibi, H.Maleki & Attar
Prunus megacarpa Pérez-Zab.
Prunus menghaiensis (T.T.Yu & L.T.Lu) Huan C.Wang
Prunus mexicana S.Watson
Prunus microcarpa C.A.Mey.
Prunus microphylla (Kunth) Hemsl.
Prunus minutiflora Engelm. ex A.Gray
Prunus mira Koehne
Prunus × mitsuminensis Moriya
Prunus × miyasakana H.Kubota
Prunus × mohacsyana Kárpáti
Prunus mongolica Maxim.
Prunus moritziana Koehne
Prunus × mozaffarianii (Khat.) Eisenman
Prunus mugus Hand.-Mazz.
Prunus mume (Siebold) Siebold & Zucc.
Prunus munsoniana W.Wight & Hedrick
Prunus muris Cuatrec.
Prunus murrayana E.J.Palmer
Prunus myrtifolia (L.) Urb.
Prunus × nachichevanica Kudr.
Prunus nairica (Fed. & Takht.) Eisenman
Prunus napaulensis (Ser.) Steud.
Prunus nigra Aiton
Prunus nipponica Matsum.
Prunus × nudiflora (Koehne) Koidz.
Prunus nutantiflora D.G.Zhang & Z.H.Xiang
Prunus oblonga J.F.Macbr.
Prunus obtusata Koehne
Prunus occidentalis Sw.
Prunus ocellata Koehne
Prunus ochoterenae D.Ramírez
Prunus oleifolia Koehne
Prunus oligantha Kalkman
Prunus omissa Koehne
Prunus × oneyamensis Hayashi
Prunus oocarpa (Stapf) Kalkman
Prunus opaca (Benth.) Walp.
Prunus orazii (Attar, Maroofi & Vafadar) Eisenman
Prunus × orthosepala Koehne
Prunus ovalis Ruiz ex Koehne
Prunus pabotii (Browicz) Eisenman
Prunus padus L.
Prunus × palmeri Sarg.
Prunus pananensis Z.L.Chen, W.J.Chen & X.F.Jin
Prunus paradoxa (Dehshiri & Mozaff.) Falat.
Prunus patentipila Hand.-Mazz.
Prunus pearcei Rusby
Prunus pedunculata (Pall.) Maxim.
Prunus pensylvanica L.f.
Prunus persica (L.) Batsch
Prunus perulata Koehne
Prunus petunnikowii (Litv.) Rehder
Prunus phaeosticta (Hance) Maxim.
Prunus pleiantha Pilg.
Prunus pleiocerasus Koehne
Prunus podperae Nábělek
Prunus pogonostyla Maxim.
Prunus polystachya (Hook.f.) Kalkman
Prunus polytricha Koehne
Prunus prostrata Labill.
Prunus pseudocerasus Lindl.
Prunus pseudoprostrata (Pojark.) Rech.f.
Prunus pulgarensis (Elmer) Kalkman
Prunus pullei (Koehne) Kalkman
Prunus pumila L.
Prunus pusilliflora Cardot
Prunus pygeoides Koehne
Prunus quanzhouensis Jian L.Li, S.H.Liang & R.H.Jiang
Prunus ramburii Boiss.
Prunus ramonensis (Danin) Eisenman
Prunus ravenii Zardini & Basualdo
Prunus rechingeri (Browicz) A.E.Murray
Prunus reflexa (Gardner) Walp.
Prunus rhamnoides Koehne
Prunus × rhodia (Browicz) Eisenman
Prunus rigida Koehne
Prunus rivularis Scheele
Prunus rotunda J.F.Macbr.
Prunus rubiginosa (Elmer) Kalkman
Prunus rufa Wall. ex Hook.f.
Prunus rufoides C.K.Schneid.
Prunus ruiziana Koehne
Prunus runemarkii Eisenman
Prunus × sacra Miyoshi
Prunus salasii Standl.
Prunus salicina Lindl.
Prunus samydoides Schltdl.
Prunus sargentii Rehder
Prunus × saviczii (Pachom.) Eisenman
Prunus schlechteri (Koehne) Kalkman
Prunus schneideriana Koehne
Prunus sclerophylla Kalkman
Prunus scoparia (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
Prunus × sefinensis (Bornm.) A.E.Murray
Prunus serotina Ehrh.
Prunus serrula Franch.
Prunus serrulata Lindl.
Prunus setulosa Batalin
Prunus shikokuensis (Moriya) H.Kubota
Prunus sibirica L.
Prunus × simmleri Palez.
Prunus simonii (Decne.) Bonard
Prunus singalilaensis H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
Prunus × slavinii E.J.Palmer ex Rehder
Prunus spartioides (Spach) C.K.Schneid.
Prunus speciosa (Koidz.) Nakai
Prunus spicata Kalkman
Prunus spinosa L.
Prunus spinosissima (Bunge) Franch.
Prunus spinulosa Siebold & Zucc.
Prunus ssiori F.Schmidt
Prunus × stacei Wójcicki
Prunus stellipila Koehne
Prunus stipulacea Maxim.
Prunus stipulata J.F.Macbr.
Prunus strobilifera Cuatrec.
Prunus subcordata Benth.
Prunus subcoriacea (Chodat & Hassl.) Koehne
Prunus subcorymbosa Ruiz ex Koehne
Prunus subglabra (Merr.) Kalkman
Prunus × subhirtella Miq.
Prunus sunhangii D.G.Zhang & T.Deng
Prunus susakensis (Vassilcz.) Eisenman
Prunus susquehanae Willd.
Prunus × syodoi Nakai
Prunus × syriaca Borkh.
Prunus szechuanica Batalin
Prunus tadzhikistanica Zaprjagaeva
Prunus takesimensis Nakai
Prunus tangutica (Batalin) Koehne
Prunus taplejungnica H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
Prunus tartarea Lundell
Prunus tatsienensis Batalin
Prunus tayulinensis S.S.Ying
Prunus tenella Batsch
Prunus tetradenia Koehne
Prunus texana D.Dietr.
Prunus tomentosa Thunb.
Prunus topengii (Merr.) J.Wen & L.Zhao
Prunus topkegolensis H.Ohba & S.Akiyama
Prunus transarisanensis Hayata
Prunus trichamygdalus Hand.-Mazz.
Prunus trichantha Koehne
Prunus trichostoma Koehne
Prunus triloba Lindl.
Prunus × tschonoskii Koehne
Prunus tuberculata Koehne
Prunus tucumanensis Lillo
Prunus turcomanica (Lincz.) Kitam.
Prunus turfosa Kalkman
Prunus turneriana (F.M.Bailey) Kalkman
Prunus ulei Koehne
Prunus ulmifolia Franch.
Prunus umbellata Elliott
Prunus undulata Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
Prunus urartu (Tamamsch.) Eisenman
Prunus urotaenia Koehne
Prunus urumiensis (Bornm.) A.E.Murray
Prunus × uzbekistanica (Sabirov) Eisenman
Prunus vachuschtii Bregadze
Prunus × vavilovii (Popov) A.E.Murray
Prunus veitchii Koehne
Prunus velutina Batalin
Prunus verrucosa Franch.
Prunus versteeghii Kalkman
Prunus virginiana L.
Prunus walkeri (Wight) Kalkman
Prunus wallaceana Kalkman
Prunus wangii Q.L.Gan, Z.Y.Li & S.Z.Xu
Prunus webbii (Spach) Fritsch
Prunus wendelboi (Freitag) Eisenman
Prunus wilsonii (C.K.Schneid.) Koehne
Prunus xianjuxing (J.Y.Zhang & X.Z.Wu) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus xingshanensis Huan C.Wang
Prunus yaoiana (W.L.Cheng) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus × yasujensis (Khat.) Eisenman
Prunus yazdiana (Mozaff.) Falat.
Prunus × yedoensis Matsum.
Prunus yunkaishanensis B.H.Wu, W.Y.Zhao & W.B.Liao
Prunus yunnanensis Franch.
Prunus × yuyamae Sugim.
Prunus zabulica (Seraf.) Eisenman
Prunus zhengheensis (J.Y.Zhang & M.N.Lu) Y.H.Tong & N.H.Xia
Prunus zielinskii (Browicz) Kosiński, D.Tomasz. & Ziel.
Prunus zinggii Standl.
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.