Thunderchild Flowering Crab vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Thunderchild Flowering Crab vs American Plum

Malus x adstringens Thunderchild

Prunus americana

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Thunderchild Flowering Crab
American Plum

Thunderchild Flowering Crab is a hybrid crab apple known for its attractive and fragrant dark pink blossoms and deep purple mature leaves.

Tree farmers will find this hybrid appealing as a pollinator for other apples, while home growers will enjoy the red pome's ability to attract flocks of Cedar Waxwings in the early spring.

This species is reportedly resistant to fireblight.

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.

Thunderchild Flowering Crab Quick Facts

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Foliage: dark purple leaves
Fall colour: dark red
Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: dark pink blossoms
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: small red pomes that hang through the winter
Fruit: small, red plums
Berries: small red pomes that hang through the winter
Fruit size: 2-3cm in diameter
Firmness: firm
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON
Other Names: american wild plum, wild plum