Bee-attracting tall shrub with cones of tiny cream-white flowers in Colorado?

Question

We live at 7000 feet and have a volunteer shrub that is over 6 feet tall. The flowers are about 1/4"-3/8"; cream/white colored; with 5 wee petals and a pale yellow, spikey center. Also, the flowers are clumped in cones of about 8 rows.

The flowers are lightly scented, very pleasing to the nose. The bees love it.

I thought it might be some kind of a lilac or butterfly bush or butterfly weed?

Prunus variety, yes - evergreen or not? – Bamboo May 28 '17 at 09:32 — Bamboo, May 28 '17 at 09:32
Goes dormant in winter; not an evergreen. – RJo May 28 '17 at 21:14 — RJo, May 28 '17 at 21:14

CloneZero · Accepted Answer · 2017-06-05T23:29:25.907

5

It's in the Prunus subg. Padus commonly known as bird cherries, chock cherry, hackberry, hagberry, Mayday tree. Don't think it is Prunus maackii because of the yellow center to the blooms in your picture; "maacki" is pure white. It could be Prunus virginiana which is native and of which you are at the edge of its range.What elevation are you at? A few species can exist at Colorado's elevation. There is a number of Prunus plants in this category, and without a shot of the bark of the trunk, it's impossible to be sure.

edited Jun 05 '17 at 23:29

answered Jun 02 '17 at 12:28

CloneZero

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We are at 7,000 feet. Since posting the pix, all the blooms have died. It's only early June, so I am hoping it's a rebloomer! – RJo Jun 04 '17 at 17:42
Prunus virginiana could survive at 7K feet. – CloneZero Nov 17 '17 at 18:46

Bee-attracting tall shrub with cones of tiny cream-white flowers in Colorado?

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