Valentine Cherry vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Valentine Cherry vs Opata Cherry Plum

Prunus x kerrasis Valentine

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Valentine Cherry
Opata Cherry Plum

Valentine Cherry is a hardy deciduous shrub and hybrid variety of the University of Saskatchewan Sour Cherry released in the Romance Series of dwarf sour cherries in 2004. This medium-sized self-pollinator produces tart, bright red fruits in large clusters in late summer that are perfect for jams, pies and jellies. Valentine Cherry is ideal as a landscape or orchard tree.

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.

Valentine Cherry Quick Facts

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.5 m (8 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: orange
Berries: large, red
Fruit size: 4.5g
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: tart
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: early to mid August
Harvest: mid to late August
Flowers: white
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium




Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry