Ehrh.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.961463
Element CodePDROS1C1T0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyRosaceae
GenusPrunus
Other Common NamesCerisier tardif (FR) Rum Cherry (EN)
Concept ReferenceFlora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2014b. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 9. Magnoliophyta: Picramniaceae to Rosaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 713 pp.
Taxonomic CommentsThis record is for the broad treatment of Prunus serotina following FNA (vol. 9, 2014) that includes P. alabamensis. FNA (vol. 9, 2014) recognizes three varieties in P. serotina (alabamensis, rufula, and serotina). FNA (vol. 9, 2014) treats P. alabamensis as P. serotina var. alabamensis, expands the concept of P. serotina var. rufula to include P. serotina var. virens, and expands the concept of P. serotina var. serotina to include P. serotina var. eximia. In contrast, Kartesz (1994) recognizes four distinct varieties in P. serotina (rufula, eximia, serotina, and virens) and treats P. alabamensis as a distinct species.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-12-15
Change Date2016-03-30
Edition Date2025-12-15
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsPrunus serotina is a wide-ranging shrub or tree found in a variety of woodland and forest habitats, including northern hardwood forests, ravines, canyons, rich coves, bottomlands, along streams, longleaf pine sandhills, mixed oak-pine-hickory forests and woodlands, mixed oak-pine-juniper woodlands, secondary forests, and disturbed habitats, such as roadsides, edges of fields, and often weedy in fencerows. It occurs in eastern and southwestern North America to Central America, from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, Canada, and Nebraska, and south to Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, and to Mexico and Guatemala. It is introduced and considered invasive in Europe. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and over 300 occurrences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent CommentsPrunus serotina occurs in eastern and southwestern North America to Central America, from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, Canada, and Nebraska, and south to Florida, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in the United States, and to Mexico and Guatemala (FNA 2014, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). It is introduced and invasive in Europe (FNA 2014, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Native range extent was estimated to be over 10 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are well over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, succession, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range and large number of occurrences.