Low, diffusely branched, decumbent or prostrate shrubs, to 1(-3) m; lvs narrowly to broadly oblanceolate, varying to oblong, 4-10 cm, obtuse or acute, the margin firm
or cartilaginous, finely and remotely glandular-serrate, long-cuneate to acute at base, glabrous, often glaucous beneath; fls in clusters of 2-4, on pedicels 4-12 mm; sep glandular-serrulate; pet elliptic to round-obovate, 4-8 mm; fr nearly black, subglobose, 1-1.5 cm thick, edible; 2n=16. Four fairly well marked vars. may be recognized:
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.
Found only in the northwestern part of the state in the counties shown on the map. It is local to infrequent except on the slopes of the dunes facing Lake Michigan and on the low dunes near Lake Michigan west of Gary where it is frequent to common. In the interdunal flats a short distance from the lake large colonies may be found. Away from the lake it grows in moist, black, sandy soil and is usually about 3 feet high and erect or slightly decumbent near the base, but along the lake it is always decumbent at the base and sometimes reaches a length of 5-8 feet. I have had this species in cultivation from seed from the shore of Lake Michigan and the plants grow rapidly and are erect until they reach a height of 5-8 feet when they either become decumbent or break off near the ground. Prunus cuneata and Prunus susquehanae are named forms of Prunus pumila which I do not regard as of taxonomic value.
