Russian Almond vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Russian Almond vs Opata Cherry Plum

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

Prunus tenella

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Opata Cherry Plum
Russian Almond

Opata Cherry Plum is considered to be one of the best tasting Cherry Plum varieties. It has a pleasant, sweet flavour and a hint of acidity. They ripen in mid to late August and are well suited to fresh eating, baking, and preserves.

The fruit is closer to a plum than a cherry but is smaller than most plums.The Opata Cherry Plum’s skin is red/green whereas the flesh is yellow-green. The flesh is freestone with a juicy, firm texture. Similar to other stone fruits, it does not store for very long.

The Opata Cherry Plum is a hybrid between a Western Sand Cherry and a Japanese (Chinese) Plum. For fruit production, it needs to be planted with another variety for cross-pollination. Canada Plum and American Plum are considered universal pollinizers.

Russian Almond is a low maintenance, short, slightly suckering shrub. It is covered with attractive, bright pink flowers in early spring before its foliage emerges.

This hardy species forms dense thickets attracts wildlife. Russian Almond prefers full sun and well-drained soils, but can tolerate moist soils.

The nuts it produces are quite attractive but very small. They are bitter and possibly toxic in large quantities.

Check out our YouTube channel video of the Russian Almond here.

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Russian Almond Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: bright pink
Fruit: skin green and red, flesh yellow-green
Nuts: small fuzzy nuts
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: mid to late August
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry
Other Names: dwarf russian almond