Prunus

{{Short description|Genus of trees and shrubs}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossil range|50|0|Eocene - recent|ref=<ref name=mobot>{{Cite web |title=Rosales|url=http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/orders/rosalesweb.htm|access-date=2023-06-16 |website=www.mobot.org}}</ref>}} Possible Albian record<ref>{{Citation |last1=Peppe |first1=Daniel J. |last2=Hickey |first2=Leo J. |last3=Miller |first3=Ian M. |last4=Green |first4=Walton A. |date=October 2008|title=A Morphotype Catalogue, Floristic Analysis and Stratigraphic Description of the Aspen Shale Flora(Cretaceous–Albian) of Southwestern Wyoming |url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.3374/0079-032X-49.2.181 |journal=Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History |language=en |volume=49 |issue=2 |pages=181–208 |doi=10.3374/0079-032X-49.2.181 |bibcode=2008BPMNH..49..181P |issn=0079-032X|url-access=subscription }}</ref> | image = Frühling blühender Kirschenbaum.jpg | image_caption = ''Prunus cerasus'' (sour cherry) in bloom | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Prunus | authority = L. | subdivision_ranks = | subdivision = | type_species = ''P. domestica'' | type_species_authority = L. | synonyms = *''Amygdalopersica'' Daniel *''Amygdalophora'' M.Roem. *''Amygdalopsis'' M.Roem. *''Amygdalus'' L.<ref name=Potter>{{cite journal|author1=Potter, D. |author2=Eriksson, T. |author3=Evans, R.C. |author4=Oh, S. |author5=Smedmark, J.E.E. |author6=Morgan, D.R. |author7=Kerr, M. |author8=Robertson, K.R. |author9=Arsenault, M. |author10=Dickinson, T.A. |author11=Campbell, C.S. |year=2007|title=Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae|journal=Plant Systematics and Evolution|volume=266|issue=1–2|pages=5–43|url=https://rd.springer.com/journal/606/266/1/page/1#page-1|doi=10.1007/s00606-007-0539-9|bibcode=2007PSyEv.266....5P |s2cid=16578516 |url-access=subscription }} <nowiki>[Referring to the subfamily by the name "Spiraeoideae"]</nowiki></ref> *''Armeniaca'' Scop.<ref name=Potter/> *''Cerapadus'' Buia *''Ceraseidos'' Siebold & Zucc. *''Cerasus'' Mill.<ref name=Potter/> *''Emplectocladus'' Torr. *''Lauro-cerasus'' Duhamel *''Laurocerasus'' M.Roem.<ref name=Potter/> *''Louiseania'' Carrière *''Maddenia'' Hook.f. & Thomson<ref name=Potter/> *''Padellus'' Vassilcz. *''Padus'' Mill.<ref name=Potter/> *''Persica'' Mill. *''Pygeum'' Gaertn.<ref name=Potter/> }} thumb|Prunus sp. '''''Prunus''''' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs from the family Rosaceae, with about 340 accepted species ({{as of|2024|3|lc=y}})<ref name=powo/><ref name="Niklas-1997">{{Cite book|title=The evolutionary biology of plants |last=Niklas |first=Karl J.|date=1997 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0226580838 |location=Chicago |oclc=35262271}}</ref> that include peaches and nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries and almonds. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution,<ref name=powo>{{cite web|title=''Prunus'' L. |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |work=Plants of the World Online |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:30003057-2 |access-date=17 March 2024}}</ref> being native to the temperate regions of North America, the neotropics of South America, and temperate and tropical regions of Eurasia and Africa.<ref name="Chin-2014">{{Cite journal |last1=Chin |first1=S.W. |last2=Shaw |first2=J. |last3=Haberle |first3=R. |last4=Wen |first4=J. |last5=Potter |first5=R. |date=July 2014 |title=Diversification of almonds, peaches, plums and cherries – Molecular systematics and biogeographic history of Prunus (Rosaceae) |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=76 |pages=34–48 |doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2014.02.024|pmid=24631854 |bibcode=2014MolPE..76...34C }}</ref>

Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for their sweet, fleshy fruit, as well as for decorative purposes due to the colorful seasonal blossom of their flowers. ''Prunus'' fruit are drupes, or stone fruits. The fleshy mesocarp surrounding the endocarp is edible while the endocarp itself forms a hard, inedible shell called the pyrena ("stone" or "pit")<ref name="Velasco-2016">{{Cite journal |last1=Velasco |first1=Dianne |last2=Hough |first2=Josh |last3=Aradhya |first3=Mallikarjuna |last4=Ross-Ibarra |first4=Jeffrey |date=1 December 2016 |title=Evolutionary Genomics of Peach and Almond Domestication |journal=G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics |volume=6 |issue=12 |pages=3985–3993 |doi=10.1534/g3.116.032672 |issn=2160-1836 |pmid=27707802 |pmc=5144968}}</ref> that encloses the seed (or "kernel"), which is edible in some species (such as almonds) but poisonous in many others (such as apricot kernels). Besides being eaten fresh, most ''Prunus'' fruit are also commonly used to make processed foods and beverages such as canned and dried fruit, fruit juices (e.g. cherry and prune juice), jam, gelatine desserts and roasted seeds.<ref name="Terry-2011">{{Cite book |title=Health-promoting properties of fruit and vegetables |date=2011 |publisher=CABI |last=Terry |first=Leon A. |isbn=9781845935283 |location=Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK |oclc=697808315}}</ref>

==Description== Members of the genus are either deciduous or evergreen. A few species have spiny stems. The leaves are simple, alternate, usually lanceolate, unlobed, and often with nectaries on the leaf stalk along with stipules. The flowers are usually white to pink, sometimes red, with five petals and five sepals. Numerous stamens are present. Flowers are borne singly, or in umbels of two to six or sometimes more on racemes. The fruit is a fleshy drupe (a "prune") with a single relatively large, hard-coated seed (a "stone").<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |editor-last=Cullen |editor-first=J. |display-editors=etal |date=1995 |title=European Garden Flora |volume=4 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521420952}}</ref>

{{gallery|mode=packed |Kanzan Cherry Tree.jpg|''Prunus'' 'Kanzan' in bloom |Inner canopy Kanzan Cherry.jpg|Inner canopy of Kanzan cherry in bloom |Merisier-en-fleur.JPG|Black cherry (''P. serotina'') in bloom |Prunus Eburnea in Behbahan II.jpg|''Prunus eburnea'' in Behbahan |Prunus Eburnea in Behbahan I.jpg|''Prunus eburnea'' in Behbahan |In_bloom_(33791676526).jpg|Japanese cherry (''P. serrulata'') |File 108, Rinde einer Japanischen Kirsche.jpg|Tibetan cherry (''P. serrula'') }}

==Taxonomy== Within the rose family Rosaceae, it was traditionally placed as a subfamily, the Amygdaloideae (incorrectly "Prunoideae"), but was sometimes placed in its own family, the Prunaceae (or Amygdalaceae). More recently, ''Prunus'' is thought to have evolved from within a much larger clade now called subfamily Amygdaloideae (incorrectly "Spiraeoideae").<ref name=Potter/>

===Classification===

==== Evolutionary history ==== {{update|section|date=September 2021}}

The oldest fossils confirmed to belong to ''Prunus'' date to the Eocene, and are found across the Northern Hemisphere. Older potential Late Cretaceous records are unconfirmed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Ya |last2=Smith |first2=Thierry |last3=Liu |first3=Chang-Jiang |last4=Awasthi |first4=Nilamber |last5=Yang |first5=Jian |last6=Wang |first6=Yu-Fei |last7=Li |first7=Cheng-Sen |date=April 2011 |title=Endocarps of ''Prunus'' (Rosaceae: Prunoideae) from the early Eocene of Wutu, Shandong Province, China |journal=Taxon |volume=60 |issue=2 |pages=555–564 |doi=10.1002/tax.602021|bibcode=2011Taxon..60..555L }}</ref>

The earliest known fossil ''Prunus'' specimens are wood, drupe, seed, and a leaf from the middle Eocene of the Princeton Chert of British Columbia, Canada.<ref name="stockeywehr">{{Cite encyclopedia |year=1996 |title=Life in Stone: a Natural History of British Columbia's Fossils |publisher=UBCPress |place=Vancouver |editor-last=Ludvigson |editor-first=Rolf |pages=234, 241, 245 |isbn=978-0-7748-0578-0 |last2=Wehr |first2=Wesley C. |first1=Ruth A. |last1=Stockey |contribution=Flowering Plants in and around Eocene Lakes of the Interior}}</ref> Using the known age as calibration data, a partial phylogeny of some of the Rosaceae from a number of nucleotide sequences was reconstructed.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Oh |first=Sang-Hun |author2=Potter, Daniel |year=2005 |title=Molecular phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of tribe Neillieae (Rosaceae) using DNA sequences of cpDNA, rDNA, and LEAFY1 |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=92 |issue=1 |pages=179–192 |doi=10.3732/ajb.92.1.179 |pmid=21652396}}</ref> ''Prunus'' and its sister clade Maloideae (apple subfamily) has been suggested to have diverged {{ma|44.3}} which is within the Lutetian, or older middle Eocene.{{efn|A date of 76 mya is given for Rosaceae, which is within the late Cretaceous.}} Stockey and Wehr report: "The Eocene was a time of rapid evolution and diversification in Angiosperm families such as the Rosaceae ...."<ref name="stockeywehr" /> The oldest fossil species is ''Prunus cathybrownae'' from the Klondike Mountain Formation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Benedict |first1=John C. |last2=DeVore |first2=Melanie L. |last3=Pigg |first3=Kathleen B. |date=May 2011 |title=Prunus and Oemleria (Rosaceae) Flowers from the Late Early Eocene Republic Flora of Northeastern Washington State, U.S.A. |url=https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/660880 |journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences |language=en |volume=172 |issue=7 |pages=948–958 |doi=10.1086/660880 |bibcode=2011IJPlS.172..948B |issn=1058-5893|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The Princeton finds are among a large number of angiosperm fossils from the Okanagan Highlands dating to the late early and middle Eocene. ''Crataegus'' is found at three locations: the McAbee Fossil Beds, British Columbia; the Klondike Mountain Formation around Republic, Washington, and the Allenby Formation around Princeton, British Columbia, while ''Prunus'' is found at those locations plus the Coldwater Beds of Quilchena, British Columbia and Chu Chua Formation around Chu Chua, British Columbia. A review of research on the Eocene Okanagan Highlands<ref name="Dillhoff">{{Cite journal |last=Dillhoff |first=Richard M. |author2=Leopold, Estella B. |author3=Manchester, Steven R. |date=February 2005 |title=The McAbee flora of British Columbia and its relation to the Early-Middle Eocene Okanagan Highlands flora of the Pacific Northwest |url=http://www.evolvingearth.org/learnearthscience/mcabeefeb2005cjes.pdf |url-status=dead |journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=151–166 |bibcode=2005CaJES..42..151D |citeseerx=10.1.1.452.8755 |doi=10.1139/e04-084 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303184613/http://www.evolvingearth.org/learnearthscience/mcabeefeb2005cjes.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016 |access-date=2 September 2007}}</ref> reported that the Rosaceae were more diverse at higher altitudes. The Okanagan highlands formations date to as early as 52 mya, but the (approximate) 44.3 mya date{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} might still apply. The authors state that "the McAbee flora records a diverse early middle Eocene angiosperm-dominated forest."<ref name="Dillhoff" />{{rp|165}}

====Linnean classification==== In 1737, Carl Linnaeus used four genera to include the species of modern ''Prunus''—''Amygdalus, Cerasus, Prunus'', and ''Padus''—but simplified it to ''Amygdalus'' and ''Prunus'' in 1758.<ref>{{cite book |author=Linnaeus Carolus |editor=Sprengel, Curtius |title=Genera Plantarum Editio Nona |trans-title=Plant Categories, Ninth Edition |year=1830 |location=Gottingen |publisher=Dieterich |pages=402–403 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8RoAAAAAQAAJ}}</ref> Since then, the various genera of Linnaeus and others have become subgenera and sections, as all the species clearly are more closely related. Liberty Hyde Bailey said: "The numerous forms grade into each other so imperceptibly and inextricably that the genus cannot be readily broken up into species."<ref name=Bailey>{{cite book |last=Bailey |first=Liberty Hyde |author-link=Liberty Hyde Bailey |title=Sketch of the Evolution of Our Native Fruits |url=https://archive.org/details/sketchevolution00bailgoog |year=1898 |location=New York |publisher=The MacMillan Company |page=[https://archive.org/details/sketchevolution00bailgoog/page/n210 181]}}</ref>

==== Traditional classification ==== Historical treatments break the genus into several different genera, but this segregation is not currently widely recognised other than at the subgeneric rank. The ITIS recognises just the single genus ''Prunus'', with an open list of species,{{efn|Do a search in the ITIS database on the scientific name ''Prunus'' for its current list.}} all of which are given at List of Prunus species.{{efn|Other species appear, as well, which for whatever reasons are not yet in ITIS.}}

One treatment of the subgenera derives from the work of Alfred Rehder in 1940. Rehder hypothesized five subgenera: ''Amygdalus, Prunus, Cerasus, Padus'', and ''Laurocerasus''.<ref name="leewen">{{cite journal|doi=10.2307/2657135|first1=Sangtae |last1=Lee|first2=Jun |last2=Wen|title=A phylogenetic analysis of Prunus and the Amygdaloideae (Rosaceae) using ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA|journal=American Journal of Botany|year=2001|volume=88|pages=150–160|pmid=11159135|issue=1|jstor=2657135|doi-access=free}}</ref> To them C. Ingram added ''Lithocerasus''.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |chapter=Stone Fruits |first=William |last=Okie |title=Encyclopedia of Fruits and Nuts |date=July 2003 |editor1-last=Janick |editor1-first=J. |editor2-last=Paulii |editor2-first=R.E. |publisher=C A B Intl |publication-date=2008}}</ref> The six subgenera are described as follows: * Subgenus ''Amygdalus'', almonds and peaches: axillary buds in threes (vegetative bud central, two flower buds to sides); flowers in early spring, sessile or nearly so, not on leafed shoots; fruit with a groove along one side; stone deeply grooved; type species: ''Prunus amygdalus'' (almond) * Subgenus ''Prunus'', plums and apricots: axillary buds solitary; flowers in early spring stalked, not on leafed shoots; fruit with a groove along one side, stone rough; type species: ''Prunus domestica'' (plum) * Subgenus ''Cerasus'', true cherries: axillary buds single; flowers in early spring in corymbs, long-stalked, not on leafed shoots; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus cerasus'' (sour cherry) * Subgenus ''Lithocerasus'', bush cherries: axillary buds in threes; flowers in early spring in corymbs, long-stalked, not on leafed shoots; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus pumila'' (sand cherry) * Subgenus ''Padus'', bird cherries: axillary buds single; flowers in late spring in racemes on leafy shoots, short-stalked; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus padus'' (European bird cherry), now known to be polyphyletic<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Xiao-Lin |last2=Wen |first2=Jun |last3=Nie |first3=Ze-Long |last4=Johnson |first4=Gabriel |last5=Liang |first5=Zong-Suo |last6=Chang |first6=Zhao-Yang |date=14 December 2012 |title=Polyphyly of the ''Padus'' group of ''Prunus'' (Rosaceae) and the evolution of biogeographic disjunctions between eastern Asia and eastern North America |journal=Journal of Plant Research |volume=126 |issue=3 |pages=351–361 |doi=10.1007/s10265-012-0535-1 |pmid=23239308 |s2cid=5991106 }}</ref> * Subgenus ''Laurocerasus'', cherry laurels: evergreen (all the other subgenera are deciduous); axillary buds single; flowers in early spring in racemes, not on leafed shoots, short-stalked; fruit not grooved, stone smooth; type species: ''Prunus laurocerasus'' (European cherry-laurel)

==== Phylogenetic classification ==== An extensive phylogenetic study based on different chloroplast and nuclear sequences divides ''Prunus'' into three subgenera:<ref name="Shi-2013">{{Cite journal |last1=Shi |first1=Shuo |last2=Li |first2=Jinlu |last3=Sun |first3=Jiahui |last4=Yu |first4=Jing |last5=Zhou |first5=Shiliang |title=Phylogeny and classification of ''Prunus sensu lato'' (Rosaceae) |journal=Journal of Integrative Plant Biology |date=2013 |volume=55 |issue=11 |pages=1069–1079 |doi=10.1111/jipb.12095 |pmid=23945216 |bibcode=2013JIPB...55.1069S |issn=1744-7909}}</ref> * Subg. ''Padus'': In addition to species of ''Padus'' (bird cherries), this subgenus also includes species of ''Maddenia'' (false bird cherries), ''Laurocerasus'' (cherry laurels) and ''Pygeum''. * Subg. ''Cerasus'': This subgenus includes true cherries such as sweet cherry, sour cherry, mahaleb cherry and Japanese flowering cherry. * Subg. ''Prunus'': This subgenus includes the following sections: ** Sect. ''Prunus'': Old World plums ** Sect. ''Prunocerasus'': New World plums ** Sect. ''Armeniaca'': apricots ** Sect. ''Microcerasus'': bush cherries ** Sect. ''Amygdalus'': almonds ** Sect. ''Persica'': peaches ** Sect. ''Emplectocladus'': desert almonds

===Species=== {{Main|List of Prunus species}} The lists below are incomplete, but include most more commonly cultivated species.{{cn|date=July 2024}}

====Afro-Eurasian species==== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''P. africana'' – African cherry * ''P. amygdalus'' – almond * ''P. apetala'' – clove cherry * ''P. armeniaca'' – apricot * ''P. avium'' – sweet cherry or wild cherry * ''P. brigantina'' – Briançon apricot * ''P. buergeriana'' – dog cherry * ''P. campanulata'' – Taiwan cherry * ''P. canescens'' – gray-leaf cherry * ''P. cerasifera'' – cherry plum * ''P. cerasoides'' – wild Himalayan cherry * ''P. cerasus'' – sour cherry * ''P. ceylanica'' – Ceylon cherry * ''P. cocomilia'' – Italian plum * ''P. cornuta'' – Himalayan bird cherry * ''P. davidiana'' – David's peach * ''P. darvasica'' – Darvaz plum * ''P. domestica'' – common plum * ''P. fruticosa'' – European dwarf cherry * ''P. glandulosa'' – Chinese bush cherry * ''P. grayana'' – Japanese bird cherry * ''P. incana'' – willow-leaf cherry * ''P. incisa'' – Fuji cherry * ''P. jacquemontii'' – Afghan bush cherry * ''P. japonica'' – Japanese bush cherry * ''P. laurocerasus'' – cherry laurel * ''P. lusitanica'' – Portugal laurel * ''P. maackii'' – Manchurian cherry * ''P. mahaleb'' – Mahaleb cherry * ''P. mandshurica'' – Manchurian apricot * ''P. maximowiczii'' – Korean cherry * ''P. mume'' – Chinese plum * ''P. nipponica'' – Japanese alpine cherry * ''P. padus'' – bird cherry * ''P. persica'' – peach * ''P. pseudocerasus'' – Chinese sour cherry * ''P. prostrata'' – mountain cherry * ''P. salicina'' – Japanese plum * ''P. sargentii'' – north Japanese hill cherry * ''P. scoparia'' – mountain almond * ''P. serrula'' – Tibetan cherry * ''P. serrulata'' – Japanese cherry * ''P. sibirica'' – Siberian apricot * ''P. simonii'' – apricot plum * ''P. speciosa'' – Oshima cherry * ''P. spinosa'' – blackthorn, sloe * ''P. ssiori'' – Hokkaido bird cherry * ''P. subhirtella'' – winter-flowering cherry * ''P. tenella'' – dwarf Russian almond * ''P. tomentosa'' – Nanking cherry * ''P. triloba'' – flowering plum * ''P. turneriana'' – almondbark * ''P. ursina'' – Bear's plum * ''P.'' × ''yedoensis'' – Yoshino cherry * ''P. zippeliana'' – big-leaf cherry (Chinese: 大叶桂樱) {{div col end}}

====Species found in the Americas====

{{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''P. alabamensis'' – Alabama cherry * ''P. alleghaniensis'' – Allegheny plum * ''P. americana'' – American plum * ''P. andersonii'' – desert peach * ''P. angustifolia'' – Chickasaw plum * ''P. brasiliensis'' – Brazilian cherry * ''P. buxifolia'' – chuwacá * ''P. caroliniana'' – Carolina laurelcherry * ''P. cortapico'' * ''P. emarginata'' – bitter cherry * ''P. eremophila'' – Mojave Desert plum * ''P. fasciculata'' – wild almond * ''P. fremontii'' – desert apricot * ''P. geniculata'' – scrub plum * ''P. gentryi'' – Gentry cherry * ''P. gracilis'' – Oklahoma plum * ''P. havardii'' – Havard's plum * ''P. hortulana'' – Hortulan plum * ''P. huantensis'' * ''P. ilicifolia'' – hollyleaf cherry * ''P. integrifolia'' * ''P. maritima'' – beach plum * ''P. mexicana'' – Mexican plum * ''P. minutiflora'' – Texas almond * ''P. murrayana'' – Murray's plum * ''P. myrtifolia'' – West Indies cherry * ''P. nigra'' – Canada plum * ''P. occidentalis'' – western cherry laurel * ''P. pensylvanica'' – pin cherry * ''P. pleuradenia'' – Antilles cherry * ''P. pumila'' – sand cherry * ''P. rigida'' * ''P. rivularis'' – creek plum * ''P. serotina'' – black cherry * ''P. subcordata'' – Klamath plum * ''P. subcorymbosa'' * ''P. texana'' – peachbush * ''P. umbellata'' – flatwoods plum * ''P. virginiana'' – chokecherry {{div col end}}

=== Etymology === The ''Online Etymology Dictionary'' presents the customary derivations of plum<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=plum |encyclopedia=Online Etymological Dictionary |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=plum}}</ref> and prune<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=prune |encyclopedia=Online Etymological Dictionary |url=http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=prune}}</ref> from Latin ''prūnum'',<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=1890 |title=prūnum |encyclopedia=Lewis's Elementary Latin Dictionary |publisher=Perseus Digital Library |url=http://artfl.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.6:1:2066.latinsmall}}</ref> the plum fruit. The tree is ''prūnus'';<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=1890 |title=prūnus |encyclopedia=Lewis's Elementary Latin Dictionary |publisher=Perseus Digital Library |url=http://artfl.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.6:1:2067.latinsmall}}</ref> and Pliny uses ''prūnus silvestris'' to mean the blackthorn. The word is not native Latin, but is a loan from Greek προῦνον ({{transliteration|grc|prounon}}), which is a variant of προῦμνον ({{transliteration|grc|proumnon}}),<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=προῦμνον |encyclopedia=Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon |publisher=Perseus Digital Library |url=http://artfl.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.59:3:144.lsj}}</ref> origin unknown. The tree is προύμνη ({{transliteration|grc|proumnē}}).<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=προύμνη |encyclopedia=Liddell and Scott's Greek-English Lexicon |publisher=Perseus Digital Library |url=http://artfl.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.59:3:143.lsj}}</ref> Most dictionaries follow Hoffman, ''Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Griechischen'', in making some form of the word a loan from a pre-Greek language of Asia Minor, related to Phrygian.

The first use of ''Prunus'' as a genus name was by Carl Linnaeus in ''Hortus Cliffortianus'' of 1737,<ref>{{cite book |last=Linnaeus |first=Carolus |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/690#/summary |title=Hortus Cliffortianus |date=1737 |publisher= |location=Amsterdam |page=[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/13838#page/241/mode/1up 186] |doi=10.5962/bhl.title.690 |access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref> which went on to become ''Species Plantarum''.

== Pests and diseases == [[File:Gummosis on an ornamental cherry.JPG|thumb|Cherries are prone to gummosis.]]

Various ''Prunus'' species are winter hosts of the Damson-hop aphid, ''Phorodon humuli'', which is destructive to hops ''Humulus lupulus'' just at the time of their maturity,<ref>{{cite web |title=Damson-hop aphid, ''Phorodon humuli'' |url=http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/insect-survey/STPhorodon_humuli.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626024630/http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/insect-survey/STPhorodon_humuli.php |archive-date=26 June 2012 |work=Rothamstead Insect Survey |publisher=Rothamstead Research}}</ref> so plum trees should not be grown in the vicinity of hop fields.

{{anchor|Corking}}Corking is the drying or withering of fruit tissue.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Benson |first1=N.R. |last2=Woodbridge |first2=C.G. |last3=Bartram |first3=R.D. |date=1994 |title=Nutrient Disorders in Tree Fruits |url=http://extension.wsu.edu/benton-franklin/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2013/12/NutrientDisordersInTF-pnw0121e.pdf |access-date=9 September 2017 |publisher=Pacific Northwest Extension Publications}}</ref> In stone fruit, it is often caused by a lack of boron and/or calcium.<ref>{{cite web |author=Day, Kevin |date=27 January 1999 |title=Peach and Nectarine Cork Spot:A Review of the 1998 Season |url=http://cetulare.ucanr.edu/files/77369.pdf |access-date=9 September 2017 |website=University of California Cooperative Extension – Tulare County |publisher=University of California, Davis}}</ref>

Gummosis is a nonspecific condition of stone fruits (peach, nectarine, plum, and cherry) in which gum is exuded and deposited on the bark of trees. Gum is produced in response to any type of wound – insect, mechanical injury, or disease.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hartman |first1=John |last2=Bachi |first2=Paul |date=November 2005 |title=Gummosis and Perennial Canker of Stone Fruits |url=http://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/files/ppfs-fr-t-08.pdf |access-date=9 September 2017 |website=Plant Pathology |publisher=University of Kentucky}}</ref>

''Apiosporina morbosa'' is a major fungal disease in the Northern Americas, with many urban centres running black knot fungus management programs.<ref name="www.alberta.ca">{{Cite web |title=Black knot |url=https://www.alberta.ca/black-knot.aspx |access-date=2020-10-07 |website=www.alberta.ca}}</ref> This disease is best managed by physical removal of knot-bearing branches to prevent spore spread and immediate disposal of infected tissue.<ref name="www.alberta.ca" /> Chemical treatment is not largely effective, as trees can easily be re-infected by neighbouring knots.

''Laetiporus gilbertsoni'' (commonly sulfur shelf and chicken of the woods), is a serious cubic brown rot parasite which attacks certain species of decorative red-leaf plum trees in the genus ''Prunus'' on the Pacific coast of North America.<ref name="laetiporus1">{{Cite web |title=Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus species complex) |url=https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP358 |access-date=2023-10-21}}</ref><ref name="laetiporus2">{{Cite web |title=Yellow tree fungus on very old plum tree #246036 |url=https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=246036 |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=ask2.extension.org}}</ref>

== Cultivation == [[Image:Nectarine Fruit Development.jpg|thumb|The development sequence of a nectarine (''P. persica'') over a 7.5-month period, from bud formation in early winter to fruit ripening in midsummer]]

The genus ''Prunus'' includes the almond, the nectarine and peach, several species of apricots, cherries, and plums, all of which have cultivars developed for commercial fruit and nut production. The almond is not a true nut; the edible part is the seed. Other species are occasionally cultivated or used for their seed and fruit.

A number of species, hybrids, and cultivars are grown as ornamental plants, usually for their profusion of flowers, sometimes for ornamental foliage and shape, and occasionally for their bark.

Because of their considerable value as both food and ornamental plants, many ''Prunus'' species have been introduced to parts of the world to which they are not native, some becoming naturalised.

The Tree of 40 Fruit has 40 varieties grafted on to one rootstock.<ref name="NPR">{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/03/337164041/the-gift-of-graft-new-york-artists-tree-to-grow-40-kinds-of-fruit|title=The Gift of Graft: New York Artist's Tree To Grow 40 Kinds of Fruit|date=3 August 2014|work=NPR|access-date=3 January 2015}}</ref><ref name="ScienceAlert">{{cite web|url=http://www.sciencealert.com/news/20142107-25892.html|title=This tree produces 40 different types of fruit|date=21 July 2014|work=ScienceAlert|access-date=3 January 2015|archive-date=8 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108042635/http://www.sciencealert.com/news/20142107-25892.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Species such as blackthorn (''Prunus spinosa''), are grown for hedging, game cover, and other utilitarian purposes.

The wood of some species (notably black cherry) is prized as a furniture and cabinetry timber, especially in North America.

Many species produce an aromatic gum from wounds in the trunk; this is sometimes used medicinally. Other minor uses include dye production.

Pygeum, a herbal remedy containing extracts from the bark of ''Prunus africana'', is used as to alleviate some of the discomfort caused by inflammation in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

''Prunus'' species are food plants for the larvae of many Lepidoptera species (butterflies and moths).

''Prunus'' species are included in the Tasmanian Fire Service's list of low flammability plants, indicating that it is suitable for growing within a building protection zone.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chladil |last2=Sheridan |first1=Mark |first2=Jennifer |title=Fire retardant garden plants for the urban fringe and rural areas |url=http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/publications/1709%20Brochure.pdf |website=www.fire.tas.gov.au |date=2006 |access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref>

===Ornamental ''Prunus''=== {{See also|List of Award of Garden Merit flowering cherries}} Ornamentals include the group that may be collectively called "flowering cherries" (including ''sakura'', the Japanese flowering cherries).

== Toxicity == Many species are cyanogenic; that is, they contain compounds called cyanogenic glucosides, notably amygdalin, which, on hydrolysis, yield hydrogen cyanide.<ref>{{Cite book |volume=VII |first=E. Frankland |last=Armstrong |contribution=Glucosides |edition=Fourth |editor-first=W.A. |editor-last=Davis |editor2-first=Samuel S. |editor2-last=Sadtler |title=Allen's Commercial Organic Analysis |location=Philadelphia |publisher=P. Blakiston's Son & Co. |year=1913 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.37280 |page=[https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.37280/2015.37280.Allens-Commercial-Organic-Analysis--Vol-7#page/n118/mode/1up 102] |access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref> Although the fruits of some may be edible by humans and livestock (in addition to the ubiquitous fructivory of birds), seeds, leaves and other parts may be toxic, some highly so.<ref>{{cite book|title=Genetic and evolutionary diversity: the sport of nature |first1=Laurence Martin |last1=Cook |first2=Robert S. |last2=Callow |page=135 |location=Cheltenham |publisher=Stanley Thornes |edition=2nd |year=1999}}</ref> The plants contain no more than trace amounts of hydrogen cyanide, but on decomposition after crushing and exposure to air or on digestion, poisonous amounts may be generated. The trace amounts may give a characteristic taste ("bitter almond") with increasing bitterness in larger quantities, less tolerable to people than to birds, which habitually feed on specific fruits.

==Benefits to human health== People are often encouraged to consume many fruits because they are rich in a variety of nutrients and phytochemicals that are supposedly beneficial to human health. The fruits of ''Prunus'' often contain many phytochemicals and antioxidants.<ref name="Terry-2011"/><ref name="Nile-2014">{{Cite journal|date=1 February 2014|title=Edible berries: Bioactive components and their effect on human health|journal=Nutrition|language=en|volume=30|issue=2|pages=134–144|doi=10.1016/j.nut.2013.04.007|pmid=24012283|issn=0899-9007|last1=Nile|first1=Shivraj Hariram|last2=Park|first2=Se Won}}</ref><ref name="Cevallos-Casals-2006">{{Cite journal|date=1 May 2006|title=Selecting new peach and plum genotypes rich in phenolic compounds and enhanced functional properties|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=96|issue=2|pages=273–280|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.02.032|issn=0308-8146|last1=Cevallos-Casals|first1=Bolívar A.|last2=Byrne|first2=David|last3=Okie|first3=William R.|last4=Cisneros-Zevallos|first4=Luis}}</ref> These compounds have properties that have been linked to preventing different diseases and disorders.<ref name="Nile-2014" /><ref name="Liu-2013">{{Cite journal|last=Liu|first=Rui Hai|date=1 June 2013|title=Dietary Bioactive Compounds and Their Health Implications|journal=Journal of Food Science|language=en|volume=78|issue=s1|pages=A18–A25|doi=10.1111/1750-3841.12101|pmid=23789932|issn=1750-3841|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Wang-2000">{{Cite journal|last1=Wang|first1=Shiow Y.|last2=Jiao|first2=Hongjun|title=Scavenging Capacity of Berry Crops on Superoxide Radicals, Hydrogen Peroxide, Hydroxyl Radicals, and Singlet Oxygen|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=48|issue=11|pages=5677–5684|doi=10.1021/jf000766i|pmid=11087538|year=2000|bibcode=2000JAFC...48.5677W }}</ref> Research suggests that the consumption of these fruits reduces the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and other age-related declines.<ref name="Liu-2013" /><ref name="Wang-2000" /> Many factors can affect the levels of bioactive compounds in the different fruits of the genus ''Prunus'', including the environment, season, processing methods, orchard operations, and postharvest management.<ref name="Terry-2011" />

===Cherries=== Cherries contain many different phenolic compounds and anthocyanins, which are indicators of being rich in antioxidants.<ref name="Usenik-2008">{{Cite journal|date=1 March 2008|title=Sugars, organic acids, phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.)|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=107|issue=1|pages=185–192|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.08.004|issn=0308-8146|last1=Usenik|first1=Valentina|last2=Fabčič|first2=Jerneja|last3=Štampar|first3=Franci}}</ref><ref name="Liu-2013" /> Recent research has linked the phenolic compounds of the sweet cherry (''Prunus avium'') with antitumor properties.<ref name="Bastos-2015">{{Cite journal|date=15 April 2015|title=Chemical characterisation and bioactive properties of Prunus avium L.: The widely studied fruits and the unexplored stems|journal=Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=173|pages=1045–1053|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.10.145|pmid=25466123|issn=0308-8146|last1=Bastos|first1=Claudete|last2=Barros|first2=Lillian|last3=Dueñas|first3=Montserrat|last4=Calhelha|first4=Ricardo C.|last5=Queiroz|first5=Maria João R.P.|last6=Santos-Buelga|first6=Celestino|last7=Ferreira|first7=Isabel C.F.R.|hdl=1822/39810|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) include superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and singlet oxygen; they are the byproducts of metabolism. High levels of ROS lead to oxidative stress, which causes damage to lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The oxidative damage results in cell death, which ultimately leads to numerous diseases and disorders. Antioxidants act as a defense mechanism against the oxidative stress.<ref name="Liu-2013" /><ref name="Wang-2000" /> They are used to remove the free radicals in a living system that are generated as ROS.<ref name="Lee-etal-2007">{{Cite journal|last1=Lee|first1=Bo-Bae|last2=Cha|first2=Mi-Ran|last3=Kim|first3=Soo-Yeon|last4=Park|first4=Eunju|last5=Park|first5=Hae-Ryong|last6=Lee|first6=Seung-Cheol|date=1 June 2007|title=Antioxidative and Anticancer Activity of Extracts of Cherry (Prunus serrulata var. spontanea) Blossoms|journal=Plant Foods for Human Nutrition|language=en|volume=62|issue=2|pages=79–84|doi=10.1007/s11130-007-0045-9|pmid=17577669|bibcode=2007PFHN...62...79L |s2cid=19550239|issn=0921-9668}}</ref><ref name="Liu-2013" /> Some of those antioxidants include glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase.<ref name="Lee-etal-2007" /> The antioxidants present in cherry extracts act as inhibitors of the free radicals.<ref name="Nile-2014" /> However, the DNA and proteins can be damaged when an imbalance occurs in the level of free radicals and the antioxidants. When not enough antioxidants are available to remove the free radicals, many diseases can occur, such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson's disease, etc.<ref name="Wang-2000" /> Recent studies have shown that using natural antioxidants as a supplement in chemotherapy can decrease the amount of oxidative damage. Some of these natural antioxidants include vitamin C, tocopherol, and epigallocatechin gallate; they can be found in certain cherry extracts.<ref name="Lee-etal-2007" />

===Almonds=== Similar to cherries, strawberries, and raspberries, almonds are also rich in phenolics. Almonds have a high oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC), which is another indicator of being rich in antioxidants.<ref name="Terry-2011" /><ref name="Wijeratne-2006">{{Cite journal|last1=Wijeratne|first1=Subhashinee S. K.|last2=Amarowicz|first2=Ryszard|last3=Shahidi|first3=Fereidoon|date=1 March 2006|title=Antioxidant activity of almonds and their by-products in food model systems|journal=Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society|volume=83|issue=3|pages=223|doi=10.1007/s11746-006-1197-8|s2cid=83628789|issn=0003-021X}}</ref> As stated before, high levels of free radicals are harmful, thus having the capacity to absorb those radicals is greatly beneficial. The bioactive compounds, polyphenols and anthocyanins, found in berries and cherries are also present in almonds.<ref name="De Souza-2014">{{Cite journal |date=1 August 2014|title=Determination of the bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of Brazilian blackberry, red raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and sweet cherry fruits|journal=Food Chemistry |volume=156|pages=362–368|doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.01.125|pmid=24629981|issn=0308-8146 |last1=De Souza|first1=Vanessa Rios|last2=Pereira|first2=Patrícia Aparecida Pimenta|last3=Da Silva |first3=Thais Lomônaco Teodoro |last4=De Oliveira Lima|first4=Luiz Carlos |last5=Pio|first5=Rafael |last6=Queiroz|first6=Fabiana|url=http://www.repositorio.ufop.br/handle/123456789/5585}}</ref><ref name="Wijeratne-2006" /> Almonds also contain nonflavonoid and flavonoid compounds, which contribute to their antioxidant properties.<ref name="Terry-2011" /><ref name="Monagas-2007">{{Cite journal|last1=Monagas |first1=Maria|last2=Garrido|first2=Ignacio|last3=Lebrón-Aguilar|first3=Rosa |last4=Bartolome |first4=Begoña|last5=Gómez-Cordovés|first5=Carmen|title=Almond (''Prunus dulcis'' (Mill.) D.A. Webb) Skins as a Potential Source of Bioactive Polyphenols|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry |volume=55|issue=21|pages=8498–8507|doi=10.1021/jf071780z|pmid=17867638|year=2007|bibcode=2007JAFC...55.8498M }}</ref><ref name="Wijeratne-2006" /> Flavonoids are a group of structurally related compounds that are arranged in a specific manner and can be found in all vascular plants on land. They also contribute to the antioxidant properties of almonds.<ref name="Monagas-2007" /> Some of the nonflavonoid compounds present are protocatechuic, vanillic, and p-hydroxybenzoic acids. Flavonoid compounds that can be found in the skin of the almond are flavanols, dihydroflavonols, and flavanones.<ref name="Monagas-2007" /><ref name="Wijeratne-2006" />

===Plums=== Of all of the different species of stone fruits, plums are the richest in antioxidants and phenolic compounds. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) varies within each fruit, but in plums, TAC is much higher in the skin than in the flesh of the fruit.<ref name="Terry-2011" /><ref name="Gil-2002">{{Cite journal|last1=Gil|first1=María I.|last2=Tomás-Barberán|first2=Francisco A.|last3=Hess-Pierce|first3=Betty|last4=Kader|first4=Adel A.|title=Antioxidant Capacities, Phenolic Compounds, Carotenoids, and Vitamin C Contents of Nectarine, Peach, and Plum Cultivars from California|journal=Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry|language=en|volume=50|issue=17|pages=4976–4982|doi=10.1021/jf020136b|pmid=12166993|year=2002|bibcode=2002JAFC...50.4976G }}</ref><ref name="Cevallos-Casals-2006" />

===Apricots=== Apricots are high in carotenoids, which play a key role in light absorption during development. Carotenoids are the pigments that give the pulp and peel of apricots and other ''Prunus'' fruits their yellow and orange colors. Moreover, it is an essential precursor for vitamin A, which is especially important for vision and the immune system in humans.<ref name="Terry-2011" /><ref name="Hegedú´s-2010">{{Cite journal|last1=Hegedú´s|first1=Attila|last2=Engel|first2=Rita|last3=Abrankó|first3=László|last4=Balogh|first4=Emó´ke|last5=Blázovics|first5=Anna|last6=Hermán|first6=Rita|last7=Halász|first7=Júlia|last8=Ercisli|first8=Sezai|last9=Pedryc|first9=Andrzej|date=1 November 2010|title=Antioxidant and Antiradical Capacities in Apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) Fruits: Variations from Genotypes, Years, and Analytical Methods|journal=Journal of Food Science|language=en|volume=75|issue=9|pages=C722–C730|doi=10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01826.x|pmid=21535583|issn=1750-3841}}</ref> Moreover, these fruits are quite rich in phenolic substances, including catechin, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and ferulic acid.<ref name="Hegedú´s-2010" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Sochor|first1=Jiri|last2=Zitka|first2=Ondrej|last3=Skutkova|first3=Helena|last4=Pavlik|first4=Dusan|last5=Babula|first5=Petr|last6=Krska|first6=Boris|last7=Horna|first7=Ales|last8=Adam|first8=Vojtech|last9=Provaznik|first9=Ivo|date=7 September 2010|title=Content of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Fruits of Apricot Genotypes|journal=Molecules|language=en|volume=15|issue=9|pages=6285–6305|doi=10.3390/molecules15096285|pmid=20877223|pmc=6257765|doi-access=free }}</ref>

===Peaches and nectarines=== Similar to the plum, peaches and nectarines also have higher TAC in the skin than in the flesh.<ref name="Terry-2011" /><ref name="Gil-2002" /> They also contain moderate levels of carotenoids and ascorbic acid.<ref name="Legua-2011">{{Cite journal|last1=Legua|first1=Pilar|last2=Hernández|first2=Francisca|last3=Díaz-Mula|first3=Huertas M.|last4=Valero|first4=Daniel|last5=Serrano|first5=María|title=Quality, Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Activity of New Flat-Type Peach and Nectarine Cultivars: A Comparative Study|journal=Journal of Food Science|volume=76|issue=5|pages=C729–C735|doi=10.1111/j.1750-3841.2011.02165.x|pmid=22417419|year=2011}}</ref><ref name="Gil-2002" /><ref name="Cevallos-Casals-2006" /> Peaches and nectarines are orange and yellow in color, which can be attributed to the carotenoids present.<ref name="Terry-2011" />

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons|Prunus}} * {{Cite web|title=GRIN Species Records of ''Prunus''|url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/splist.pl?9887|publisher=USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory|location=Beltsville, Maryland|access-date=13 November 2009}} * {{Cite web|title=Our Cherries Collection — ''Prunus''|url=http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantcollection.asp?code=4|date=2001–2009|publisher=Missouri Botanical Garden: Kemper Center for Home Gardening|access-date=13 November 2009|archive-date=5 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805153759/http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantcollection.asp?code=4|url-status=dead}} * [http://www.treeof40fruit.com/ Tree of 40 fruit website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918230524/http://www.treeof40fruit.com/ |date=18 September 2017 }}

Category:Prunus Category:Rosaceae genera Category:Fruit trees Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus