Cherries and plums are closely related, belonging to the same broad category of plants. This relationship is confirmed by the biological classification system used by scientists. Their shared ancestry is so close that they are classified together at a highly specific level, indicating they evolved from a recent common predecessor.
Understanding Their Shared Classification
Both cherries and plums belong to the Rosaceae family, commonly known as the rose family, which also includes apples, pears, and strawberries. Within this large family, they are grouped into the more exclusive Prunus genus. This genus serves as the defining link between cherries and plums, establishing their common ancestry.
Membership in the Prunus genus means they share fundamental structural characteristics, most notably the fruit type. The fruit of all Prunus species is a drupe: a fleshy fruit with a single, hardened inner layer (endocarp) surrounding the seed. This structure is commonly called a “stone” or “pit,” which is why these relatives are collectively known as stone fruits.
Key Differences Between Cherries and Plums
Despite their shared genus, cherries and plums diverge at the subgenus level, accounting for differences in their physical traits. Cherries belong primarily to the subgenus Cerasus, while plums are classified under the subgenus Prunus. These distinctions are evident in their fruits, trees, and flowers.
The most obvious difference is fruit morphology. Plums are typically larger, round to oval, and often feature a slight central groove. Cherry fruit is much smaller, generally measuring around two centimeters in diameter, and possesses a purely spherical shape. The seed also differs: the cherry stone is round and smooth, while the plum stone is flatter and more oval.
Differences also extend to the trees and their flowering habits, providing specific identification markers. Cherry trees typically produce flowers in small clusters of two or more on longer stalks. Plum flowers tend to bloom individually on shorter stems and often possess a strong, sweet fragrance, which most cherry blossoms lack. Furthermore, mature cherry tree bark is usually lighter gray and marked by prominent horizontal lines called lenticels, while plum trees feature darker, rougher bark without these markings.
Other Important Members of the Prunus Genus
The Prunus genus is exceptionally diverse and includes several other economically significant stone fruits beyond cherries and plums. These members display the defining characteristic of a fleshy outer layer surrounding a single, hard pit.
Peaches and nectarines, which are genetically identical except for the gene controlling skin fuzz, belong to the subgenus Amygdalus. Apricots are classified under the subgenus Prunus along with plums, reflecting a closer relationship to them than to cherries. Even the almond, which is consumed as a nut, is botanically a Prunus drupe. In the case of the almond, the fleshy outer layer is discarded, and the hard inner shell is cracked open to access the seed.