The difference between mountain cherries and elm leaf plum
Every spring, the pink and white mountain cherries and elm leaf plum are often confusing. Although these two Rosaceae plants are similar in appearance, they hide many details. By mastering key elements such as branch and branch texture, flower shape, and fruit characteristics, you can easily distinguish this pair of "double beauties in flowers." Comparison of plant morphological characteristics, differences between branches and leaves. The branches of mountain cherry are typically brownish red, and the texture is fragile and easy to break. The leaves are rough to the touch, with the front and back sides densely covered with short villi, the leaf margins are sharply serrated, and the base of the leaves remains intact without cracking.
The young branches of Plum Blossom show a unique purplish red color and turn grayish brown when mature. The surface of the leaves is smooth as silk, with only occasionally villous on the midvein of the back of the leaves. The serrations on the leaf margin are wide and blunt, arranged in a wavy shape. Flowering period and flower type characteristics The flowering period of mountain cherries is synchronized. From March to April, pure and elegant white flowers bloom, the base of the petals is slightly dyed with pink halo, and 5 single petals form the standard rose flower type. The difference between mountain cherries and elm leaf plum
Plum blossoms first and then leaves in early spring, and pink buds appear at the end of February. The double-petal variety is shaped like a peony. It is deep pink at the beginning of bloom and gradually fades to light pink with the flowering period. The calyx tube expands in the iconic bell-like shape. Fruit growth characteristics Mountain cherries bear fruit in May. The red berries are densely clustered, with a diameter of about 1 cm. There are only two longitudinal lines on the fruit surface. They can be eaten freshly or made into wine.
The elma-leaf plum bears a spherical drupe in July, with a single fruit diameter of 1.8 cm. The fruit skin is net-like and concave-convex texture. The double-petal variety often does not bear fruit due to stamen petalization. Horticultural application value Mountain cherries are mostly cultivated as cash crops. Their fruits are rich in vitamin C and have also been used to create ecological landscape forests in recent years. Plum blossoms are mainly ornamental, and are cultivated through grafting to cultivate horticultural varieties such as hanging branch type and double petal type. They are important early spring flowering shrubs in gardening.
Through systematic comparison, it can be seen that there are significant differences between the two in terms of branch color, leaf feel, flowering order, petal shape, and fruit characteristics. Mastering these identification points can not only accurately distinguish plant types, but also rationally cultivate and apply them according to their characteristics, allowing these pair of spring sisters to show their strengths.