Oemleria cerasiformis

Indian Plum
Oemleria cerasiformis
Type: Deciduous Shrub
Exposure: Part Shade
Water: Regular

This plant, a familiar native of the Pacific Northwest, commonly forms part of the understory of Douglas fir, alder, and western red cedar woodlands. Most commonly seen as a large multi-stemmed shrub, it can be pruned to form a small tree. Hanging clusters of white flowers open in late Feb / early March, more or less at the same time that the leaves appear. Indian Plum can be male or female. The female ones bear fruit like tiny plums with a large pit, which are edible but generally not that palatable; birds and wildlife love them, though. The flowers on the males smell faintly unpleasant; the females smell faintly pleasant. (Much like humans).
The leaves begin to turn color relatively early in the fall, and often seem to do so almost one at a time, resulting in showy mix of yellow leaves and green ones on the same plant for a time.

Cheers,

John