About 430 species of deciduous, occasionally evergreen, trees and shrubs. Leaves alternate, serrate, sometimes entire, with stipules. Flowers usually white, often pink to red, calyx 5-lobed, 5 petals, stamens many. Fruit usually fleshy and single seeded.
Prunus: from the Latin name for these plants.
Pronunciation:
PRU-nus
Family:
Rosaceae