Common Snowberry vs Canada Plum - TreeTime.ca

Common Snowberry vs Canada Plum

Symphoricarpos albus

Prunus nigra

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(new stock expected: fall of 2027)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Snowberry
Canada Plum

Common Snowberry is a small deciduous shrub with characteristic white to pink flowers and clusters of white fruit.

This North American native species is very adaptable, and can be used for erosion control in riparian and restoration areas. Snowberry's fruit attracts wildlife, and livestock can consume the berries without issue.

Canada Plum is a cold-hardy wild plum native to North America with small red fruit. They ripen in mid to late summer, with bitter, astringent skin surrounding sweet, slightly acidic flesh that clings to the stone. While some enjoy eating the plums fresh, they are more commonly used for baking and preserves. It is considered a universal pollinizer for other plum varieties and is often used for grafting or as a rootstock.

White to pink flowers appear in spring, often before the leaves, providing an early source of nectar and pollen for native bees and other pollinators. Birds and other wildlife also feed on the fruit, adding to its ecological value. Canada Plum can grow as a small tree or large, multi-stemmed shrub. It is well suited to a variety of projects, including fruit orchards for cross-pollination, as well as pollinator plantings, naturalization, and restoration projects.

Common Snowberry Quick Facts

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2b
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: high

Toxicity: berries toxic to humans

Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Bark: red-brown shredded bark
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Flowers: pink to white flowers in spring
Flowers: white
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Berries: white waxy berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NT
Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: common snowberry
Other Names: american plum, black plum, canada plum, horse plum, wild plum