Prunus spp. is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is critical. Also known as Plums, Cherries, and Allies, Black Cherry and Chokecherry.
This plant is known to be potentially deadly!
If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Fees may apply.
Dilated Pupils Difficulty Breathing Panting Shock Drooling Weakness Death Cardiovascular Collapse Oral Irritation
The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.
Prunus is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs from the rose family (Rosaceae). As of March 2024, the genus has about 340 accepted species, including almonds, apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, being native to the temperate regions of North America, the neotropics of South America, and temperate and tropical regions of Eurasia and Africa.
Many species are cyanogenic; that is, they contain compounds called cyanogenic glucosides, notably amygdalin, which, on hydrolysis, yield hydrogen cyanide. Although the fruits of some may be edible by humans and livestock (in addition to the ubiquitous fructivory of birds), seeds, leaves and other parts may be toxic, some highly so. The plants contain no more than trace amounts of hydrogen cyanide, but on decomposition after crushing and exposure to air or on digestion, poisonous amounts may be generated. The trace amounts may give a characteristic taste ("bitter almond") with increasing bitterness in larger quantities, less tolerable to people than to birds, which habitually feed on specific fruits.
Also recorded as Cherries, Flowering Cherry, Planted Cherry, cherry and cherry trees.
More from the Rosaceae family:
Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.