About Prunus andersonii A.Gray
Prunus andersonii is a deciduous shrub that grows to nearly 2 metres (6+1⁄2 ft) tall. It has tangling branches that narrow into twigs tipped with spines. Its serrated leaves are lance-shaped to oval, grow in clusters, and each leaf reaches up to 3 centimeters (1+1⁄4 in) long. The inflorescence is either a single solitary flower or a pair of flowers. Each flower usually has five concave pink petals, each just under 1 cm (3⁄8 in) long, with many whisker-like stamens at its center. Flowers bloom before leaves appear, or at the same time that leaves emerge. The plant produces a fuzzy reddish-orange drupe fruit around 1 cm (3⁄8 in) wide. The fruit is fleshy in years with abundant moisture, and dry in years with drought. The seed inside the fruit is a heart-shaped stone. This plant reproduces both sexually through seed germination, and vegetatively by sprouting from its rhizome. A single plant may sprout and resprout from its rhizomes to form a very large clone that can spread across several acres. It is native to eastern California and western Nevada, where it grows in forests and scrub in both desert and mountain environments. Many types of rodents collect and eat the fruits of this plant, and cache its seeds. The fruit of Prunus andersonii is reportedly edible. Among Native American groups, the Paiute used this plant to make tea and for medicinal remedies, and the Cahuilla considered the plant's fruit a delicacy.
