Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Wednesday - March 12, 2014
From: Elmendorf, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: General Botany, Trees
Title: Are Prunus minutiflora male and female flowers on different plants?
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
I have a Prunus minutiflora and have recently learned the male and female flowers are on separate plants. How can I determine if I have a male or female plant?ANSWER:
When I first read your question I thought to myself: "I didn't know that. I think I better check several sources to confirm that Prunus minutiflora (Dwarf plum or Texas almond) is dioecious, i.e., with male and female flowers on different plants." I found the Aggie-Horticulture site that says: "It is dioecious, that is, male and female flowers are on separate plants. Apparently, staminate (male) plants are more numerous than the pistillate (female)." Next I thought I should also check this statement in Correll and Johnston. 1979. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas. Things got a little confusing when I read that they wrote that all Prunus species have "perfect flowers", i.e., they have both stamens (male parts) and pistils (female parts). They do say that the flowers have numerous stamens, but there is only one pistil per flower. I could not find information in any of the other numerous print sources that I have for Texas plants that the tree is dioecious so I assumed that the Aggie-Horticulture site was in error. I decided to check with our staff authority, Joe Marcus, who provided the following reference: THE PUBESCENT-FRUITED SPECIES OF PRUNUS OF THE SOUTHWESTERN STATES by Silas C. Mason in The Journal of Agricultural Research (1913) vol. 1, no. 2. On page 152 of this paper Mason states that three of the Prunus spp. discussed in paper [Prunus fasciculata (Desert almond), Prunus microphylla (Mexican wild almond) and Prunus minutiflora (Dwarf plum)] share the following feature which makes them dioecious (male and female flowers on separate plants):
"The California desert almond (Prunus fasciculata), the Texas wild
almond (P. minutiflora), and the Mexican wild almond (P. microphylla),
agree in three important characters which separate them clearly from
the three other species of this group. All three are dioecious by the abortion
of either stamens or pistils; the number of the stamens is usually
reduced to 10 or 15 and a portion of them inserted on the walls of the
calyx cup."
So, even though the flowers have the potential to be perfect flowers, either the stamens or the pistil of the flower becomes non-functional so that each individual plant has all its flowers functioning as males or all its flowers functioning as females.
On page 174 you will find a description of the botanical characteristics of Prunus minutiflora that includes this statement:
"The minute flowers, borne singly or paired, on short peduncles, are usually crowded
on short, budlike fruiting spurs. They appear with the leaves in February or March
and are minute and dioecious by the abortion of the stamens in the fruiting form and
of the pistils in the opposite form."
On page 173 of this paper you can see line drawings of both pistillate flowers and staminate flowers of P. minutiflora. By comparing the drawings to the flowers on your tree you should be able to determine if your tree is male or female. Unfortunately, that is the only way I know that you will be able to tell unless your tree has recently borne fruit—in that case, it is definitely a female.
In the two photos that we have showing flowers of P. minutiflora in our Image Gallery (see below) you can see the many stamens, but there are NO pistils to be seen. This is easier to see if you can zoom in on the flowers in the photos. I did search the internet for photos of female flowers of P. minutiflora, but could find none.
From the Image Gallery
More Trees Questions
Mystery Fruit in Ashland Oregon
November 10, 2010 - Hi, I live in Oregon and while I was picking wild apples I came across what I thought was a lemon tree. I picked some of the smaller fruits that grew in pairs and had a small, yellow lemon appearance ...
view the full question and answer
Disappearance of leaves on desert willow in Tucson AZ
August 08, 2009 - We have a Lois Adams Desert Willow (Tucson, Az). The leaves will pump out and then a day or so later, all of the leaves are gone. The only bugs we've seen on it are very, very small ants. Could this ...
view the full question and answer
Suckers from Oak Tree Roots in Austin
May 17, 2013 - Hi. I am a home owner in Austin TX with several live oak trees. We love them and want to keep them healthy.
We have a nice landscape in the back yard and I’m wondering if you can answer a quest...
view the full question and answer
Seed germination for sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
December 15, 2007 - How can I germinate sugar maple?(step by step, please) I have some seeds but can't make them grow directly outside, so could you recommend a method which takes place inside?! I've heard something ab...
view the full question and answer
School children planting trees native to Oklahoma and North Texas
December 07, 2009 - Hello, I'll be going into grade school classrooms to teach children how to plant trees. Perhaps they will each plant a seed in a cup to take home to plant in their yard. I may even be able to get see...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |