86. Prunus cerasifera – Thundercloud Plum ‘Thundercloud’
Scientific Name: Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’
Nativity: Europe
Interesting Info:
The thundercloud plum is a purple-leaved cultivar of the cherry plum. The summer-yielded, small plums are edible and commonly eaten raw or cooked in pies, jams, etc. They are well-named because they very closely resemble sweet cherries. They maybe be harvested in late July and early August– right between sweet cherry and other plum harvesting times. Bees are a popular pollinator of plum trees and birds love to eat the fruit. The more bitter the seeds, the higher cyanide content they have. The cherry plum is also one of five ingredients in the Bach Flower Rescue Remedy– it is utilized to “trust in one’s spontaneous wisdom and the courage to follow one’s path.”
DBH: 5.0 inches