Hello all my horticulture class asked me this. no its not homework! I am the instructor and a little confused! sorry NZ asteraceae is my specialty how do I tell the difference between cherries and plums using flowers alone? if somone could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it. thank you
Based on flowers alone it's pretty tough. They are both either pale pink or white, but Plum blossoms are ever-so-slightly larger, on average, than cherry blossoms, and tend to be a tiny little bit less profuse along the stems. This doesn't always hold true, of course. I usually have to wait for the leaves and the little fruits to be sure.
This may not always be true but... plums - petals more oval cherries - petals more rounded, sometimes notched
Plums - flowers short-stalked, and one or two at each bud. Cherries - flowers long-stalked, and several in a cluster from each bud. There may be one or two exceptions, but this applies to the majority.
