Prunus davidiana

What to Eat

Edible parts: Fruit, Seeds

The seed is used in China as a flavouring in confectionery and some special dishes. Because the seeds contain prussic acid and are somewhat bitter, they should be used in strict moderation. The fruit is about 3cm in diameter and contains one large seed.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in the hills and mountains of northern China. It grows between 800-3,200 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Asia, Australia, China, Himalayas, Korea, Nepal,

How to Identify

A small tree. It grows 9 m high and spreads 9 m wide. The bark is often shiny red-brown. It loses its leaves during the year. The young branches are upright. The leaves are dark green. They are small and have sharp teeth and taper to a point. The flowers are white to pink. The fruit are small and round and covered with down.

How to Grow

Propagation: Seed requires 2–3 months of cold stratification and is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed should be sown in a cold frame as early in the year as possible and protected from mice. Germination can be slow, sometimes taking 18 months. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, overwinter them in a greenhouse or cold frame, and plant out in late spring or early summer the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel can be taken in July/August in a frame. Softwood cuttings from strongly growing plants can be taken in spring to early summer in a frame. Layering can be done in spring.

Medicinal Uses

The seed is analgesic, antiasthmatic, anticoagulant, antitussive, aperient, emollient and haemolytic. It is used in the treatment of amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, traumatic pain due to blood stasis, constipation in aged and debilitated patients, coughs and asthma. The seed contains amygdalin and prunasin, compounds that break down in water to release hydrocyanic acid (prussic acid or cyanide). In small amounts this exceedingly poisonous compound stimulates respiration, improves digestion and gives a sense of well-being.

Other Uses

This species is used as a disease-resistant, low-chill rootstock for the cultivated peach, Prunus persica. A green dye can be obtained from the leaves, and a dark grey to green dye from the fruit.

Prunus davidiana is a plant species in the Rosaceae family. It is also known by the common names David's peach and Chinese wild peach. It is native to China, preferring to grow in forests and thickets, on slopes in mountain valleys, and in waste fields, from 800 to 3200 m. It is resistant to frost, and to a number of pests and diseases of cultivated peach, and is the subject of many studies for the genetic improvement of peaches.

Other Information

It is cultivated.

Notes

There are about 200 Prunus species.

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