PRUNUS. Temperate zones, Northern Hemisphere and South America. This is a huge group of trees and shrubs belonging to the rose family, with an appropriately great range of sizes, forms and colors to offer. They include, of course, some of our most important fruit crops, like the peaches and plums, and the “flowering” versions of the same (those selected more for the show than for edibility). However, there is much more. Many have attractive smooth or patterned bark. Most have some version of lance-shaped to pointed-oval, toothed leaves. Their flowers are similar to those of the roses, though smaller, with five, usually broad petals and many stamens. Often they are sweetly fragrant. Their fruits are officially drupes–fleshy and containing a hard-shelled seed–but they can be small and berry-like or quite large. They are nearly always decorative. The larger species are often the centerpieces of gardens. The smaller, shrubbier types have a variety of uses, including borders and screens. Most prefer a sunny spot, with well drained soil and moderate watering. Some are nearly impossible to maintain in heavy soils. Hardiness is variable, though all of the following should endure temperatures of 15oF or less.
glandulosa. Flowering almond. A deciduous shrub usually 3-5’ high, with several upward-angled branches and many short, slender branchlets. The leaves are roughly lance-shaped, up to 3" long, dark green in summer and often coloring attractively in the fall. Small clusters of 3/4" blossoms open all along the younger branchlets in late winter and early spring. Those of the typical forms are single and light to bright pink in color. ‘Alba Plena’ is distinguished by small double white flowers. Hardy to below 0oF.
ilicifolia ssp. ilicifolia. Holly cherry. This is one of California’s most dramatic native shrubs. It is bushy and usually round to upright-oval in form. It is usually seen at 5-10’ high in the wild but can reach 30’ in fertile, well-watered locations. The leaves are evergreen, 1-4" long, broad in outline with wavy, often spine-toothed margins. It bears many slender clusters of small white flowers in middle and late spring. 1/2" red to black fruits ripen in fall and are quite decorative (they are also good to eat, but there is little flesh surrounding the large seeds). This is a shrub of many uses, beautiful individually or in group plantings, borders and screens. It is also heat- and drought-tolerant, though stress reduces its size and can give the leaves a tired, somewhat yellowish cast. Hardy to 10oF. or less.
ilicifolia ssp. lyonii. Catalina Cherry. This is a native of our Channel Islands and Baja California. It can be shrubby, like typical P. ilicifolia, or a full-fledged tree, up to 50’ high though usually less. The leaves are up to 5" long and usually have smooth, unruffled margins; otherwise they resemble those of ssp. ilicifolia. The flowers are also carried in longer (up to 5") clusters, and the fruits—on the average–are a little larger, though typical of the species in form. Hardy to around 15oF., possibly less.
japonica. Oriental bush cherry. China, Japan and Korea. A shrub of fountain-like habit, growing about 6’ high. It has lance-shaped leaves up to 3" long and carries small clusters of white to pink flowers all along the stems in spring. The ½” fruits are deep red in color and decorative. Our current selection is distinguished by lower, more spreading habit and bright pink flowers. Below 0oF.
lusitanica. Portuguese laurel. Spain and Portugal. An evergreen large shrub or tree, rarely as tall as 60’. It is well branched and often nearly round, requiring little pruning. The young stems and leaf stalks are reddish, the 3-5" leaves deep green above, lighter beneath, often with a glossy surface. It bears many 4-6" clusters of small white flowers in summer and showier clusters of deep red fruits in the fall. This is a rugged plant, tolerant of considerable heat and drought. Hardy to 10-15oF.