Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)

We've added another Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) to the arboretum catalogue. This species is a fan favorite, producing delectable and highly-colored fruits that make a complete mess during their season. Squirrels eat them; bugs eat them; we eat them. Raccoons and possums eat them after hours when nobody is looking. The mature trees produce so much fruit that it simply lays about on the ground. This time of year, if you look under any of those trees, you will find seedlings. The individual pictured below is one such seedling.

Last April, this young tree was collected from under the mature Mexican plum growing on the steep slope near Mickle Hall (see here). It survived transplanting and the long hot summer months thanks to an onerous watering regime. Today, it is almost a foot tall.

Since the fresh green leaves developed in full sun, we don't need to worry about shocking it with too much sunlight when we plant it.

We planted it in full sun near the top of a gradual slope on the north side of the Cline Hall dormitory. This is an open, grassy area, and this time of year we allow the wildflowers to grow tall. The stakes with pink tape are necessary for calling attention to our small tree—we don't want it to be stepped on, stomped flat, or mowed over.

Tree of the Week: Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)

We are in the first week of March. Looking around the arboretum, a few individual trees pop out of the landscape with some just-about-spring showiness. Above, we see an amorphous white splotch of color in an otherwise dreary winter landscape, under our cloudy sky.

There are several plums blooming in the arboretum right now, but this particular Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) will no doubt draw the most attention. It's one of the larger plum trees and its flowers have appeared suddenly, covering its bare limbs at once.

This Mexican plum is more than 25 years old. It was purchased from Woodlanders Nursery (Aiken, SC) in 1994 and then planted in January 1996. As the pictures illustrate, this plum grows towards the bottom of a steep slope. Although this specimen was purchased from out-of-state, you can find similar Mexican plums growing in the wilds of north Louisiana. Look around while the trees are still bare and see if you can find one. In any wild area, you stand a good chance of succeeding. This is a drought tolerant tree that doesn't mind clay soils.

During the winter months, in the absence of leaves, we can appreciate its interesting, twisting trunk.

The shape of the tree is perhaps even more attractive when dusted with a layer of snow. Last January we experienced unusually cold weather, and the Mexican plum, like our other southeastern natives, didn't have a problem with it. This photo was taken January 16, 2018.

Winter is the best time to appreciate the ornamental quality of the Mexican plum bark. The dark, handsome bark flakes and peels, creating irregular rough ridges.

Mexican plum bark (detail)

At the end of winter, the flowers steal the show. Mexican plum flowers are terribly pretty and dainty. Unfortunately, their fragrance is not the most appetizing. It's not bad, but it's not a good one either. Let's say it's somewhere between crab apple flowers (delightful) and parsley hawthorne flowers (ghastly).

Mexican plum flowers are not found singly, but in thick clusters, at the tips of spindly, knobby twigs.

Mexican plum flower cluster

Mexican plum flower cluster

You can find more photos of this particular tree here.

Plums: The Neverending Story

If you walk by the concrete spillway near the Fitness Center during late summer, you may be surprised to see a multitude of plums. We covered these delightful fruits in a previous post. Unlike many modern cultivated fruit trees, the Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana) has a long season. New fruits ripen daily.

While many of these fruits are overripe, some have only fallen the day you see them. If you are feeling adventurous and want to exercise the foraging abilities that your ancestors relied on, pick through these plums and take a few home. Let them ripen on the countertop, wash them well, and enjoy.

Tree of the Week: Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)

Mexican plums (Prunus mexicana) are some of the showiest trees in our arboretum. In honor of this, they've been featured more than once on the blog. This week they are delighting us with a demonstration of color. The Mexican plums are loaded with a multitude of fruits at all stages of ripening. The transition includes many beautiful hues of orange and red. The pictures below depict the copse of trees located near the Student Union Building. You can read more about this grouping on a previous post.

Unripe plums are green or pale yellow, thus blending in with the surrounding foliage. These fruits have started to ripen, taking on a golden-colored hue.

These pink-colored plums still need more time to ripen.

The red-orange color of the plums are more conspicuous against the greenness of the foliage.

These fruits look good enough to eat. They are very firm and tart. Allow more time for the finest flavor.

Much of the fruit has dropped early, littering the ground with pastel-colored orbs.

Tree of the Week: Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)

Pretty springtime flowers can be found throughout the arboretum. The redbud trees, atamasco lilies and butterweed are just a few of the colorful notes in the landscape. The Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) is especially noticeable this week. Its flowers are bright white.

There are more than five Mexican plums in the arboretum collection. You can find them in three different locations. The tree pictured below is near the Fitness Center. It's a volunteer that we first noticed in 2006, which means that it is at minimum 12 years old.  

The bright white flowers stand out in the landscape. And since most of the deciduous trees are still leafless, you can see the blooming Mexican plum from quite a distance.

The Mexican plum volunteered near the drainage channel over 12 years ago. It's origins are unknown. Two sweet bay magnolias were planted near the concrete bridge, a couple of years prior to the identification of the Mexican plum, so the plum was simply added to grouping. The sweet bays are growing vertically, while the plum is stretching out horizontally.

The Mexican plum is doing marvelously in this low spot. The other Mexican plums are located higher up, on the slopes of the arboretum.

An up-close inspection of the flower clusters reveals that each flower has a crimson center. The flowers are fragrant, but not as fine as the crabapple.

The short twisting trunk divides into three large branches.

Mexican plums have dark, rough, peeling bark that adds to their beauty throughout the year. The swamp leather-flower (Clematis crispa) is using the rough bark as a trellis.

You can see photos of the arboretum's other Mexican plums here.

Summer Update: Fruits and Flowers

There are a handful of immature fruits on the strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus), growing in the shade of our on-site native sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). When the capsules open, they should reveal bright red seeds (do NOT eat).

The drupes of the Georgia holly (Ilex longipes) are ripening.

We have been watching the Mexican plums (Prunus mexicana) this summer. Numerous fruits fell early, but the branches are still heavy with ripening plums.

The fruits of the arrowwood bushes (Viburnum dentatum) are almost black.

Here we have a Gulf fritillary caterpillar conveniently stationed on its obligatory food source: the yellow passion flower vine (Passiflora lutea). The vine isn't long for this world.

The creeping cucumber vine (Melothria pendula) is producing fruits. These are said to be poisonous, so don't eat these.

 

 

 

 

In the arboretum collection, we have two kinds of French mulberry (Callicarpa americana). One produces purple berries; the other produces white berries. Above, we have an individual that produces the white variety--these berries won't turn purple.

The Louisiana catchfly (Silene subciliata) may not actually catch flies, but it certainly does catch the eye! They provide a bold dash of color in the late summer landscape. This nice patch is growing under a white oak (Quercus alba).

Summer Update

Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) has been flowering for a couple of months now. The water droplets in the photo are courtesy of the arboretum's sprinklers. Although, over the past couple of days we have had some rain.

Fruits of the persimmon tree (Diospyros virginiana) blend in with the leaves. They aren't ripe yet, but getting bigger.

The red buckeyes (Aesculus pavia) still have most of their leaves and their fruits are conspicuous.

The big-leaf snowbells (Styrax grandifolia) are covered in little fruits.

There is only one, but very large, nut on the little pignut hickory (Carya glabra).

Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) fruits are ripening on the branch. Much of the fruit has dropped to the ground early.

Louisiana catchfly (Silene subciliata) flowers are a brilliant red. There are several nice patches scattered throughout the arboretum.

We're waiting on Magnolia grandiflora to reveal its bright red seeds.

Cones are hanging from the branches of the spruce pine (Pinus glabra).

The stunning fruits of the French mulberry (Callicarpa americana) bushes are typically a sign of the end of summer, transitioning to fall. There are approximately 10 significant bushes throughout the arboretum, with only one or two bushes showing off their ripening berries.

Tree of the Week: Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana)

It's the end of July. This has been a hot and dry month, so we're continuing our review of shade trees in the arboretum collection. The Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) is primarily known for its early-spring flowers, which are quite showy in a late-winter, early-spring landscape, but much can be said of this tree in the summer as well. The Mexican plum produces high-quality, tasty (if a bit astringent) fruit and provides a good amount of shade for those of us looking for relief from the sun.

Prunus mexicana does very well in the arboretum, perhaps, in part, because it grows wild in Caddo parish. In 1996, Jack Price collected three seedlings from Jimmy and Audrey Simpson's property in Northern Caddo parish. Ed Leuck planted these trees in November 1997, on the south-facing slope near the Student Union Building. The trees have done well in this location and continue to produce very good fruit.

All pictures below were taken shortly after 11 a.m., on a sunny July morning.

The late-morning sun blazes on the east side of this copse of Mexican plums. It's shady underneath.

The trunk of an on-site native southern red oak (Quercus falcata) is pictured to the left of the Mexican plums.

Branch of Prunus mexicana: Both leaves and dangling plum fruits block the sun.

Detail of Prunus mexicana branch: these fruits need time to ripen.

Some branches are loaded with fruit clusters.

When ripe, the fruits of Prunus mexicana are a delightful mix of reddish-purple, pink, and orange.

The ovate leaves of Prunus mexicana have serrate edges and feel fuzzy to the touch.

The individual trees compete against one another for sunlight and provide a great deal of shade for us.

Not much grows in the shade of these Mexican plums; however, every spring, new Mexican plum trees sprout from the previous year's fallen fruits, making it easy to collect seedlings for relocation.

The peeling, flaky bark of the Mexican plum can be appreciated all year round.

You can find more pictures of the arboretum's Mexican plums here.

For more information about this species consult the following:
United States Department of Agriculture
Aggie Horticulture
University of Florida