Prunus andersonii aka Desert Peach

Prunus andersonii, or desert peach, is a deciduous shrub. It belongs to the rose family, Rosaceae. Its native range spans California and Nevada in the western United States. It grows on dry slopes and mesas in California. Recorded sites lie at 3,280–7,220 feet [1,000–2,200 metres]. Kew places the species within a temperate climate range. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

The shrub reaches about 6 feet [1.8 metres] in height. It loses its leaves during its yearly growth cycle. The supplied sources give no details of leaf shape or bark. They also give no species-specific flower colour or flowering season. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the flowers. Its fruit and seeds have recorded food uses. Both may be eaten raw or cooked, according to Plants For A Future.

Plants For A Future lists sandy, loamy, and clay soils as suitable. The soil should drain well while providing moisture. The species account accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. It also lists both partial shade and full sun. A sunny woodland edge is one suggested garden setting. These needs sit alongside records from dry slopes in the wild. The source does not establish whether the species withstands British winters. Much of its further care guidance concerns the genus, not this species.

The plant has recorded uses beyond food and garden planting. Its leaves yield a green dye. Its fruit can yield dark grey or green dye. Historical remedies used the stems, leaves, roots, bark, and branches. These records include treatments for diarrhoea, rheumatism, and colds. They describe past uses, not proof of safe or effective treatment. The food account warns against eating bitter seeds. Its wider cyanide warning rests on evidence about the genus. The source states that it lacks a species-specific hazard report.

Propagation options include seed, cuttings, and layering. The seed guidance calls for two to three months of cold treatment. Fresh seed can be sown in a cold frame. Germination may take as long as 18 months. Young plants need protection through their first winter, according to the source. They can then move outdoors in late spring or early summer. Cuttings use soft young shoots or partly ripened wood. Spring is the listed season for layering.