Prunus tenella

Prunus tenella
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Genus:	Prunus
Subgenus:	Prunus subg. Prunus
Species:	P. tenella
Binomial name
Prunus tenella Batsch, 1801
Synonyms [1]
Amygdalus ledebourianaSchltdl. Amygdalus georgicaDesf. Amygdalus nanaL. Prunus ledebouriana(Schltdl.) Y.Y.Yao Prunus nana(L.) Stokes Prunus georgica(Desf.) Eisenman

Prunus tenella, the dwarf Russian almond, ^[2] is a species of deciduous shrub in the genus Prunus , native to steppes of Eastern Europe and Western Siberia, as well as dry open sites of Caucasus, Western and Central Asia.

It yields small almond-like hairy fruits with characteristic flavor. It grows to 1.5 m (5 ft) and is a popular ornamental plant in cold temperate regions, valued for its profuse spring blossom and exceptional winter hardiness. It was formerly included in Prunus sect. Amygdalus, but molecular phylogenetic studies indicate it is closely related to bush cherries, apricots and plums, rather than almonds. ^{[3] [4]}

The Latin specific epithet tenella means "tender" or "delicate". ^[5]

'Fire Hill' is a popular cultivar with red flowers. ^[6]

References

1. USDA Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) Online Database
2. NRCS. "Prunus tenella". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 15 October 2015.
3. Yazbek, M.; Oh, S.-H. (2013-10-01). "Peaches and almonds: phylogeny of Prunus subg. Amygdalus (Rosaceae) based on DNA sequences and morphology" . Plant Systematics and Evolution. 299 (8): 1403–1418. doi:10.1007/s00606-013-0802-1. ISSN   1615-6110. S2CID   14542774.
4. Wang, Wei; Yang, Tao; Wang, Hui-Ling; Li, Zhen-Jian; Ni, Jian-Wei; Su, Shang; Xu, Xin-Qiao (2020-06-23). "Comparative and phylogenetic analyses of the complete chloroplast genomes of six almond species (Prunus spp. L.)". Scientific Reports. 10 (1): 10137. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-67264-3 . ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   7311419 . PMID   32576920.
5. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN   184533731X.
6. "Prunus tenella 'Firre Hill'". RHS. Retrieved 29 November 2021.

External links

• "Prunus tenella". Plants for a Future .
• Tree Guide - Russian Dwarf Almond
• Amygdalus nana in Flora of China
• Media related to Prunus tenella at Wikimedia Commons