Wildflowers: A visit to my yard - VII
Mexican Plum (Pruus mexicana) (Late March) The Mexican Plum is one of the first plants and the first tree to bloom in the yard, often before a final killing frost, which shortens the display of flowers. The leaves of the Mexican Plum are elliptical in shape. This tree was planted in the yard and after two years of little growth, it is making an attempt to become a tall plum tree. It appears to suffer some in the heat of late summer, drooping more than most other trees around it. Although called Mexican, most of its native range is to the north of this yard. However, it does grow in a smaller area far to the south in Mexico, probably at a much higher elevation. |
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Chickasaw Plum (Prunus
angustifolia) Blooming about one week after the Mexican, the Chickasaw blooms are smaller and the leaves are smaller and narrow. There are five small trees on the west side of the yard. The blooms last about one week.The tree is closely related to the Oklahoma Plum (Prunus gracilis), which thrives in the wetter forests of East Texas and the Hog Plum (Prunus rivularis), which grows on limestone soils. The Chickasaw prefers the sandy soil of my yard. The trees will eventually form a thicket, provided they survive the smothering attack of the Japanese Honeysuckle. Much had to be removed before this picture could be taken.
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