About

Prunus rivularis, known variously by the common names creek plum, hog plum, or wild-goose plum is a thicket-forming shrub in the rose family, Rosaceae. It is a deciduous shrub consisting of slender stems with umbel clusters of white blossoms. The fruit is a drupe that resembles a large berry.

The plant is found mainly in the central United States. It prefers calcareous clay soil or limestone-based woodland soils. Although the fruit has a bitter taste, it serves as a source of food for birds and other wildlife.

Where it grows

Prunus rivularis is native to the United States; found in California, Arkansas, southern Illinois, south-eastern Kansas, Kentucky, northern Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, southwestern Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. It can be found in a variety of places in nature: places like creeksides, wooden canyons, bottom of valleys and flooded plains. This plant grows on limestone-based woodland or sandy soil. The moisture of the soil can vary between dry and moist, though the soil has to be well drained. (In other words, water is readily removed from the soil). The preferred pH is slightly more alkaline (greater than 7.2). It is hardy to levels of 6–9 because of its varied distribution. This implies that the USDA zones, or geographically designated zones of temperature of which plants can grow under, are found in the southern U.S. The temperature ranges between −10 and 30 °F (−23 and −1 °C). Because of the range of dispersion, the amount of precipitation this plant can experience is anywhere from 610 to 1,220 mm (24 to 48 in) per year.

Uses

The leaves can be used to produce dyes ranging from green to dark gray.

Other Prunus plants

Prunus adenopoda · Red stinkwood · Prunus aitchisonii · Alabama cherry · Prunus alaica · Allegheny plum · American plum · Prunus amplifolia · Almond · Desert peach · Chickasaw plum · Prunus annularis