Common Snowberry vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Common Snowberry vs American Plum

Symphoricarpos albus

Prunus americana

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

(new stock expected: fall of 2027)

COMING SOON

Common Snowberry
American 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.

American Plum is a cold-hardy wild plum native to North America that grows as a small tree or large multi-stemmed shrub. Small, firm, red plums ripen from mid to late summer; the skin is tough and tart, whereas the flesh is sweet and juicy. While some enjoy eating them 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.

In spring, American Plum produces abundant white to pink flowers that attract a variety of pollinators, providing an important early-season source of nectar and pollen. It also serves as a host plant for numerous moth and butterfly species. In its native range, it is recognized as an important keystone plant, as it has a disproportionately large impact on local ecosystems.

American Plum tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, from acidic to alkaline, and heavy clay. 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

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: berries toxic to humans

Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Fall colour: gold to orange
Bark: red-brown shredded bark
Flowers: pink to white flowers in spring
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: small, red plums
Berries: white waxy berries
Fruit size: 2-3cm in diameter
Firmness: firm
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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