Prunus cerasifera
Enable an agent to recognise Prunus cerasifera, distinguish species-level knowledge from observations of particular trees and populations, and evaluate appropriate monitoring, cultivation or conservation actions.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
recalled by Codex without web access - no source was read
Researched by: Codex
Purpose and description
Enable an agent to recognise Prunus cerasifera, distinguish species-level knowledge from observations of particular trees and populations, and evaluate appropriate monitoring, cultivation or conservation actions.
Prunus cerasifera Ehrh., commonly called cherry plum or myrobalan plum, is a species of deciduous small tree or shrub in the family Rosaceae, bearing early white to pinkish flowers and edible, single-stoned fruits.
It can be Guide collection of seasonal photographs, measurements and vouchers for cherry-plum identification; Reconcile nursery names, scientific synonyms and external taxon records while retaining uncertain matches; Monitor flowering, fruiting, seedling establishment and local population change; Evaluate planting or propagation proposals using provenance, graft identity, site evidence and local constraints; Separate conservation, routine tree care and introduced-population management decisions; Flag identifications or diagnoses requiring a botanist, arborist or laboratory.
Distinguishing features
Use a combination of usually solitary flowers, occasional two-flowered clusters and flowering before leaf emergence when separating cherry plum from other flowering Prunus; these traits alone are insufficient. [Flora of North America](https://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200011156)
Inspect petiole glands and leaf surfaces: the cited flora describes glandless petioles and hairs along veins beneath the leaf, useful characters beyond overall leaf colour. [Flora of North America](https://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200011156)
Compare mature drupes and stones against a regional key: the cited description gives fruit 15-30 mm long, yellow to purple-red, with flattened stones; colour or size alone does not establish identity. [Flora of North America](https://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200011156)
Purple foliage and pink flowers can occur in ornamental cultivars, so neither defines the species nor establishes a cultivar name. [Flora of North America](https://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200011156)
Treat a suspected cherry-plum hybrid as an unresolved identification until parentage or diagnostic evidence supports assignment; NCBI maintains a separate record for Prunus cerasifera × Prunus salicina. [NCBI hybrid record](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?command=show&id=2315777&lvl=&mode=node)
Scope
+ Accepted taxonomic placement, authority, synonyms and external identifier reconciliation
+ Identification from leaves, flowers, fruit, stones and growth habit
+ Life stages, seasonal development, reproductive function and regeneration
+ Native, introduced, cultivated and naturalised occurrences with geographic evidence
+ Tree condition, conservation assessment and suitability for proposed cultivation or management
- Other Prunus species and interspecific hybrids as independent taxa
- Harvested plum products, recipes and food commodity specifications
- Cultivar registration, nursery inventory and commercial rootstock product specifications
- Orchard enterprises, land ownership and complete planting-site models
- Pathogen taxonomy, pesticide product models and clinical treatment of exposures
Characteristics
- Taxonomic identity
- Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.; genus Prunus; family Rosaceae; nomenclatural date retained with its source Anchors observations to an accepted species while preserving disagreements over nomenclatural dates. [Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/729568-1)
- External taxon alignment
- NCBI Taxonomy 36595; GBIF taxon 4N8QW; source version and retrieval date Supports evidence exchange without confusing taxonomic backbone records with occurrence or assessment records. [NCBI](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?id=36595&mode=Info), [GBIF](https://www.gbif.org/taxon/4N8QW)
- Observation subject
- species; population; individual tree; connected shoot; cultivar accession; graft component Prevents a species assessment, local tree observation and nursery label from being treated as equivalent evidence.
- Diagnostic morphology
- Leaf, petiole, pedicel, fruit and stone dimensions in mm; organ maturity and sampling date Makes identification repeatable and separates measured specimens from published descriptive ranges.
- Developmental and seasonal state
- seed; seedling; juvenile; reproductive adult; senescent; dormant; flowering; leafing; fruiting Explains missing identification characters and identifies useful times for follow-up observation.
- Reproductive performance
- Flowers and fruits counted; fruit set in percent; viable seeds in percent; seedlings per surveyed area Separates flowering, successful reproduction and establishment when evaluating a tree or population.
- Occurrence origin
- native; introduced planted; escaped; naturalised; uncertain; geographic extent and evidence A present-day occurrence does not by itself demonstrate native distribution or a self-sustaining population.
- Propagation and graft relationship
- seed-derived; vegetatively propagated; own-root; rootstock; scion; unknown Directs identification to the correct component of a grafted tree and prevents unsupported cultivar assignments.
- Tree condition
- vigour, crown dieback, wounds, lesions, water stress and structural defects, each dated and evidenced Supports proportionate care while keeping observed symptoms separate from diagnosed causes.
- Conservation assessment context
- assessing body; category; assessment year; geographic scope; taxon concept; reference Prevents a regional category or an older assessment from being applied as an unqualified current global status.
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 19 findings · 31 questions.
Taxon and name boundaries Establish which cherry-plum species concept and nomenclatural references the registry entry represents.
Plum synonyms, cultivar labels and hybrid names can cause evidence from different biological subjects to be merged.
Accepted name and identifiers
Align the registry entry with botanical and sequence-reference taxonomies.
Documented species concept
Record the accepted binomial, author, original publication and external identifiers with the taxonomic treatment used.
- Which botanical treatment establishes the accepted name, authority and publication date for this species concept? provenance
- Do the GBIF, NCBI and botanical-name records cover the same circumscription, and which identifier versions were checked? boundary
Cultivars, hybrids and components
Separate species membership from horticultural naming and graft relationships.
Qualified horticultural identity
Attach cultivar, hybrid and rootstock claims only to the plant or component supported by their evidence.
- Does the supplied cherry-plum or purple-leaf-plum name identify this species, a documented cultivar or a hybrid? boundary
- If the tree is grafted, do the identified flowers, leaves and shoots belong to the rootstock or the scion? provenance
Field recognition Specify the observations needed to distinguish cherry plum from nearby plums and ornamental lookalikes.
Seasonal characters and horticultural variation make a single photograph or common name unreliable.
Vegetative evidence
Inspect leaves, petioles, twigs, branching and the origin of basal shoots.
Vegetative character combination
Use a regional key and several vegetative characters while recording seasonal and cultivar-related limitations.
- What leaf dimensions, margin form, petiole glands and lower-surface hairs are visible on mature leaves? measurement
- Which local alternatives, including Prunus spinosa and Prunus domestica, remain possible without flowers or fruit? boundary
Flower, fruit and stone evidence
Use reproductive structures to strengthen or challenge a provisional identification.
Seasonally supported identification
Record flower arrangement, timing relative to leaves, mature fruit measurements and stone form from the same identified subject.
- How many flowers occur together, and did flowering begin before, during or after leaf emergence? measurement
- Do mature fruit and stone characters support Prunus cerasifera under the selected regional key? definition
- Which additional seasonal observation or voucher would resolve the remaining identification uncertainty? action
Development and regeneration Describe the state and reproductive contribution of cherry-plum trees without assuming that every visible stem is an independent individual.
Flowering, fruit production, seedling recruitment and vegetative spread support different conclusions about persistence.
Life stage and phenology
Track development and seasonal events for a dated tree observation.
Stage-specific state
Distinguish developmental maturity from temporary seasonal state and investigate floral function instead of assigning unsupported male and female tree classes.
- What evidence distinguishes a juvenile tree from a mature tree that is currently dormant or not flowering? definition
- What floral sexual organs and functional fertility are documented, and is any claimed sexual dimorphism supported for this accession? measurement
Pollination and establishment
Connect reproductive events to viable offspring and independently established plants.
Reproductive and clonal contribution
Evaluate pollination evidence, fruit set, viable seeds and the origin of new shoots separately.
- What evidence establishes self-compatibility or compatible pollen partners for the particular accession? provenance
- Are nearby young plants seed-derived recruits, connected suckers or intentionally planted stock? boundary
- What measured fruit set and seedling survival support a claim of successful local regeneration? measurement
Range, habitat and conservation Locate cherry-plum populations within documented distribution, establishment history and assessment boundaries.
Long cultivation history complicates native-range inference, while conservation categories apply to specified geographic and taxonomic scopes.
Occurrence and habitat
Separate geographic presence from origin and establishment, and record conditions at the observed site.
Evidenced population origin
Record locality, habitat, planting history and regeneration evidence before classifying a population as native or naturalised.
- Which flora, voucher series or historical evidence supports native versus introduced status at this locality? provenance
- What light, soil moisture, drainage, elevation and disturbance conditions characterise the occupied site? measurement
Assessment scope
Keep conservation assessments distinct from local abundance, ornamental planting frequency and introduced-range impacts.
Qualified conservation status
Resolve the category, date and geographic scope directly from the assessment; GBIF cites a 2018 IUCN assessment, while EUNIS presents regional and global status separately. [GBIF assessment record](https://www.gbif.org/cs/dataset/19491596-35ae-4a91-9a98-85cf505f1bd3/taxon/172162), [EUNIS](https://eunis.eea.europa.eu/species/179699)
- What is the latest applicable IUCN category, assessment year and geographic scope, and has the original assessment been read? provenance
- Does the proposed intervention affect a wild native population, planted collection or introduced population with documented local impacts? boundary
Cultivation, condition and intervention Connect cherry-plum identification and condition to specific planting, propagation and care decisions.
The appropriate action depends on whether the subject is a wild tree, ornamental accession, rootstock or regenerating population.
Planting and propagation
Evaluate intended function, provenance and propagation method before selecting material.
Fit for intended use
Require accession-specific evidence for ornamental traits, fruit production and graft compatibility rather than treating the species name as a performance guarantee.
- Is the intended function ornamental display, fruit production, rootstock use or conservation of a documented wild provenance? definition
- What evidence supports the chosen propagation method, desired trait retention and any proposed scion compatibility? action
Condition and management response
Translate observed symptoms, structural condition and regeneration into justified interventions.
Evidence-led tree management
Document the affected tree component, observed problem and desired outcome before prescribing care or population control.
- Which dated observations establish crown decline, water stress, injury or suspected disease, and which causes remain unconfirmed? provenance
- Should the next step be monitoring, diagnostic sampling, adjusted care, sucker management or specialist assessment, given the tree's role and local context? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- This is recall, not source-checked research; verify database identifiers, publication date of the botanical name, and any IUCN category and assessment year.
- Confirm native-range limits and local invasive status against regional floras and assessments.
- Height and fruit-size ranges are approximate; cultivar identity, hybridization and rootstock use can complicate identification.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Kinds and varieties
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Green-leaved forms
- Purple-leaved ornamental cultivars, including 'Nigra' and 'Pissardii'
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Botanical nomenclature - Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. - Species name with botanical author abbreviation; the taxon is distinct from any individual tree, population or cultivar.
- GBIF taxon key - Numeric taxon identifier - The species-specific identifier requires verification.
- NCBI Taxonomy - Numeric Taxonomy ID - The species-specific identifier requires verification.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, adopted through International Botanical Congresses, governs its botanical naming.
- The International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants, published by the International Society for Horticultural Science, governs cultivar naming.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Fresh fruit and cooked preserves, sauces and jams
- Ornamental planting for early blossom and, in some cultivars, purple foliage
- Rootstocks for cultivated plums and some other stone fruits
- Breeding material for plum cultivars and hybrids
- Hedging and shelter planting
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Mature plant height - Approximately 5-10 - m
- Fruit diameter - Approximately 2-3 - cm
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Early flowering exposes blossoms to frost damage, potentially reducing fruit set.
- Susceptibility to stone-fruit diseases, including bacterial canker and brown rot.
- Stone kernels contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be treated as edible fruit flesh.
- Rootstock suckers can compete with or replace the intended grafted cultivar.
- Escaped plants can naturalize and may become invasive in some regions.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Generally described as native to southeastern Europe and western Asia; long cultivation complicates precise native-range boundaries.
- Widely cultivated and naturalized beyond its native range, including elsewhere in Europe and in North America.
- Flowering and fruit-ripening dates vary with climate and cultivar; blossom commonly appears before or alongside emerging leaves.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Prunus domestica - The European plum is a separate species; many cultivars bear larger or more elongated fruit, but fruit size alone does not reliably distinguish them.
- Prunus spinosa - Blackthorn is typically a thorny shrub bearing small blue-black, strongly astringent sloes; cherry plum usually has larger yellow, red or purple fruits and is less thorny.
- Prunus avium - Sweet cherry is a separate species with flowers typically grouped in clusters and fruits borne on longer stalks; cherry plum flowers are commonly solitary or paired.
- Purple-leaved plum - This horticultural common name can cover Prunus cerasifera cultivars and related hybrids, so it does not uniquely identify the species.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of Prunus cerasifera this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
What the second pass must settle
- Which original nomenclatural publication resolves the differing dates attached to Ehrhart's name, including 1784 in Flora of North America and 1785 in NCBI?
- What native-range boundary is supported by the selected taxonomic treatment, especially where long cultivation obscures wild versus introduced origin?
- What category and geographic scope does the original 2018 IUCN assessment assign, and is there a later assessment?
- Which regional identification characters reliably separate Prunus cerasifera from cultivated plum variants and hybrids when reproductive material is unavailable?
- Which reproductive compatibility, rootstock performance and environmental tolerance claims can be supported at species level, and which require cultivar or accession-specific evidence?