This week for Flora and Fauna Friday is a drought tolerant bush with an edible fruit, the Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia).
The Chickasaw Plum is large shrub to small tree found throughout South Carolina. It has a broad bushy growth and will often spread clonally into a small thicket. It’s tolerant of drought and will grow well on most deep soils either in full sun or partial shade. Chickasaw Plum has simple, narrow leaves with a finely toothed margin and is deciduous. In early spring, before its leaves appear, Chickasaw Plum will burst out into a profusion of small white flowers. They bloom from March until May all the while abuzz with bee and other pollinator activity. Through the spring it will set fruit and over summer these will mature into small, inch-wide golden-yellow or peach-colored fruits. These fruits are edible raw or can be sweetened and canned to make jellies and preserves. However, they’ll often be gobbled up by Orioles, Mockingbirds, and Raccoons before you ever get a chance to pick them. The foliage of the Chickasaw Plum is also food for the larvae of several butterfly species, including the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Viceroy, and Red-spotted Purple.
