Canada Plum

Latin Name: Prunus nigra

Facts abour Canada Plum:

• Deciduous Shrub/Small Tree

• Height: 5 to 10m tall, Spread: 4 meters apart, Trunk: 25cm diameter

• Location: Southern parts of Eastern Canada

• Looks Like:

  • Bark is gray-brown; branchlets are bright-green, becoming dark brown tinged with red

  • Flowers have five rounded petals, white fading to pale pink, and slightly fragrant

  • The fruit is an oblong-oval drupe, with a tough, thick, orange-red skin, maturing in later summer or early autumn.

    • Will give fruit at 6 years old on average

• Habitat in river valleys, pasture, and along fence rows

Biodiversity Benefits:

• It is also favored by many wildlife species, including birds.

• Some plum trees are not self-fertile. This means that, when growing in isolation, they will not yield fruit. This problem is solved when these species are planted near a Canada plum tree, which will pollinate it. Canada plum is therefore very important in maintaining the biodiversity of the plum species.

• Because plums are adaptable and hardy, they are a very popular fruit to grow in gardens, however fungal disease and rot are common and must be taken care of.

Historical Use:

• The fruit is eaten raw or cooked, and can be made into preserves and jellies.