Virginia Tech Dendrology

desert almond Rosaceae Prunus fasciculata (Torr.) A. Gray symbol: PRFA
Leaf: Alternate, simple, strap-like / lanceolate to obovate, to 1 inch long, mostly entire to barely serrate, yellow green and slightly hairy above and below.
Flower: Species is dioecious; small (3/8 inch across) mostly single flowers, fragrant, with 5 creamy white petals, yellowish to red centers; appear in early spring with the leaves.
Fruit: Flattened round drupe, 1/2 inch across, fuzzy, dry pulp, yellow- to red-brown when it ripens in early summer.
Twig: Slender, short, gray, most are quite stiff and thorny, spurs present, buds small.
Bark: Reddish brown, smooth some short horizontal lenticels, turning grayer with age.
Form: A multi-stemmed, thorny shrub with a spreading crown, reaches up to 8 feet in height.
Looks like: Anderson boxthorn

Additional Range Information: Prunus fasciculata is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material © 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information