Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Rosaceae

Genus:

Prunus

Species:

Prunus susquehanae

USDA Symbol:

PRSU3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

150 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals, bees

Fragrant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from roots following fire. Associated with fire-maintained barrens and oak-pine communities.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to sandy barrens and rocky outcrops

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–150 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Requires warm stratification (60-90 days) followed by cold stratification (90-120 days). Seeds may take two seasons to germinate.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI