Labrador Tea vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Labrador Tea vs American Plum

Rhododendron groenlandicum (Ledum groenlandicum)

Prunus americana

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

Labrador Tea
American Plum

Labrador Tea is slow-growing evergreen shrub native to the boreal forests of Canada.

It thrives in wet, swampy conditions.

Labrador Tea has narrow, leathery, dark green leaves, topped by a cluster of white flowers in the spring. It is a perfect ornamental shrub for boggy, wet areas of your property.

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.

Labrador Tea Quick Facts

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: slightly toxic if ingested

Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Foliage: leathery, orange undersides, evergreen
Fall colour: rust orange
Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: white, fragrant
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: small, red plums
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, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: SK, MB, ON
Other Names: american wild plum, wild plum