Prunus cerasifera

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Synonyms: None known

Common names: cherry plum; Myrobalan plum; Pissard plum; purpleleaf plum

Prunus cerasifera (cherry plum) is a deciduous tree (family Rosaceae). It is an ornamental plant that has escaped cultivation, so it is often found near towns and along roadsides, as well as in chaparral, woodland, and riparian areas. Cherry plum’s yellow to dark red fruits are distributed widely by people, birds, raccoons, and other wildlife. Although cherry plum trees may crowd out some native trees and shrubs, they usually grow quite sparsely, and so have a lesser impact than plants that grow in dense patches. Control cannot be achieved by simply cutting trees down, as the plant will resprout from trunks and roots.

Cal-IPC Rating: Limited

Cal-IPC Assessment

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Weed RIC Management Notes

  • Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

There are no newsletter articles associated with this species yet.

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

Other Prunus cerasifera Information

  • CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
  • Calflora - See the distribution of this species on Calflora's map of California.
  • CalWeedMapper - Distribution information with ability to determine regional priorities.
  • Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora - Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
  • USDA PLANTS Database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.