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Prunus fremontii

S. Wats.

Desert Apricot

G4Apparently Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.140509
Element CodePDROS1C0F0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyRosaceae
GenusPrunus
Other Common Names
desert apricot (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.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-12-03
Change Date1990-01-16
Edition Date2025-12-03
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Rank Reasons
Prunus fremontii is a shrub found in dry, rocky or sandy soils in canyons, desert, creosote bush scrub, chaparral, mountain shrub, and pinyon-juniper woodlands. It occurs in southwestern North America in southern California, United States, and Baja California and northern Baja California Sur, Mexico, where it is known from the western edge of the Sonoran Desert. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a moderate range extent and over 250 occurrences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent Comments
Prunus fremontii occurs in southwestern North America in southern California (Riverside and San Diego counties), United States, and Baja California and northern Baja California Sur, Mexico, where it is known from the western edge of the Sonoran Desert (Reed 1993, FNA 2014, Villaseñor 2016). Range extent was estimated to be over 95,000 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 250 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, invasive species, and other threats in some places.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Prunus fremontii grows in "dry, sandy or rocky slopes, canyons, desert, chaparral, pinyon-juniper woodlands," mountain shrub, and creosote bush scrub (FNA 2014, Calflora 2025).

Ecology

This species is top-killed by fire, and its leaves contain tannic acids and cyanogenic glucosides, which discourages browsing (Reed 1993).

Reproduction

This species flowers from January to March and fruits from April to June (FNA 2014).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralDesert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cactus Springs BSan Bernardino National Forest3,106
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. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Munz, P.A., with D.D. Keck. 1959. A California flora. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 1681 pp.
  7. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  8. Reed, W. R. 1993. <i>Prunus fremontii</i>. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Online. Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/shrub/prufre/all.html (accessed 2025).
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  10. Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.