Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry) vs Canada Plum & American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry) vs Canada Plum & American Plum

Prunus nigra and americana

Hippophae rhamnoides l.

Canada Plum & American Plum
Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry)

Canada and American Plum are almost identical in appearance and growth needs. These plants are short and stout fruit trees native to North America.

This hardy ornamental is excellent for both city dwellings as well as rural areas. During the spring, the white and pink blossoms are long lasting. The tasty fruit is suitable for fresh eating, baking, and preserves. These trees are not widely distributed and pure seed can be hard to come by.

Both are commonly used as rootstock and are considered universal pollinizers for other plum varieties.

Sea Buckthorn, aka Seaberry, is a nitrogen fixing shrub that produces attractive berries high in vitamin C.

While we can't confirm claims that the berries are effective in treating various ailments, many people believe consuming the berries helps with arthritis, infections, and asthma, among other things.

Sea Buckthorn plants have attractive pale silvery-green leaves, dense branches, and large thorns, people like to grow in ornamental hedges or as a first row in a shelterbelt.

Note: these plants typically reach maturity and make their sex easily known (females producing fruit) in their 3rd or 4th year of growth. Our seedlings are too young to identify their sex.

Canada Plum & American Plum Quick Facts

Sea Buckthorn (Seaberry) Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $9.99 - SAVE UP TO 41%
Lowest Price: $1.99 - SAVE UP TO 72%
Zone: 2b
Zone: 2b
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: high


Foliage: slender silvery-green leaves
Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Flowers: white
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Berries: small, edible
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 0.9 - 1.2 m (3 - 4 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: american plum, black plum, canada plum, horse plum, wild plum
Other Names: sallowthorn, sandthorn, seaberry