The MADS-box gene SVP (SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE) integrates multiple flowering signals to regulate the transition from vegetative to reproductive development in plants. To better understand the molecular regulation of flower development in Prunus mume, two putative orthologs of SVP,PmSVP1 and PmSVP2,were isolated. The expression patterns of PmSVP1 and PmSVP2 were determined by real-time RT-PCR. PmSVP1 contains a 687-bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes a peptide of 228 amino acid residues. PmSVP2 contains a 672-bp ORF that encodes a peptide of 223 amino acid residues. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that PmSVP1 was closely related to Arabidopsis SVP, along with SVP-like members from some woody perennials, while PmSVP2 was closely related to EeDAM2 and StMADS11, which are SVP-like members from perennial herbs. To characterize the function of PmSVP1 and PmSVP2, the spatial expression of PmSVP1 and PmSVP2 in different organs using qRT-PCR were examined. Transcripts of PmSVP1 and PmSVP2 accumulated in vegetative organs, such as buds, stems and leaves. However, the expression level of PmSVP2 was expressed only in adults and had low expression levels in vegetative organs, thus differing from PmSVP1. Throughout the bud differentiation process, both PmSVP1and PmSVP2 expression levels presented a downward trend. Once flower bud differentiation commenced, expression levels started to decrease, suggesting that these two genes may play an important role in the transition from the vegetative growth to the reproductive growth phase in P. mume.