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Home/Species/ Klamath Plum

Prunus subcordata

Benth.

Klamath Plum

G4Apparently Secure Found in 8 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.150261
Element CodePDROS1C1A0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyRosaceae
GenusPrunus
Other Common Names
Klamath plum (EN) Pacific Plum (EN) Sierra Plum (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Taxonomic Comments
FNA (vol. 9, 2014) does not recognize distinct varieties in Prunus subcordata.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-12-09
Change Date2025-12-09
Edition Date2025-12-09
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Prunus subcordata is a wide-ranging shrub or small tree found in stream banks, dry rocky slopes, chaparral, pine-oak and juniper-oak woodlands, and conifer forests. It occurs in the western United States in southern Oregon and California. There are over 150 occurrences, which potentially face threats from development, logging, invasive species, rust mites, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Prunus subcordata occurs in the western United States in southern Oregon and California, in the Klamath Ranges, Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau, and Warner Mountains (FNA 2014, Jepson Flora Project 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 200,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 150 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, logging, invasive species, rust mites (Aculus cornutus and A. fockeui), and other threats in some places (Oldfield 1984).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Prunus subcordata grows in "stream banks, dry rocky slopes, chaparral, pine-oak and juniper-oak woodlands," and conifer forests (FNA 2014, Jepson Flora Project 2025).

Reproduction

This species flowers from March to May and fruits from August to September (FNA 2014).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
OregonSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (8)
California (7)
AreaForestAcres
IshiLassen National Forest21,805
KangarooKlamath National Forest40,617
Mill CreekLassen National Forest7,587
Mt. Shasta BShasta-Trinity National Forest2,809
PattisonShasta-Trinity National Forest29,299
SoldierModoc National Forest10,102
Timbered CraterLassen National Forest4,096
Oregon (1)
AreaForestAcres
Coleman RimFremont National Forest10,638
References (10)
  1. Flora 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.
  7. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  8. Oldfield, G.N. 1984. Evidence for conspecificity of <i>Aculus cornutus</i> and <i>A. fockeui</i> (Acari: Eriophyidae), rust mites of <i>Prunus </i>fruit trees. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 77(5): 564–567.
  9. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).