Manchurian Apricot vs Canada Plum - TreeTime.ca

Manchurian Apricot vs Canada Plum

Prunus armeniaca var. mandshurica

Prunus nigra

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Manchurian Apricot
Canada Plum

Manchurian Apricot is a winter-hardy relative of the native plum. This tree can stand some drought, but will not handle standing water or saturated moist soils. It can be used in shelterbelts, hedges, or as an ornamental. Manchurian Apricot will also attract songbirds, rabbits, and other rodents if left uncontrolled.

This tree will produce fruit once it reaches maturity at between two and five years old. Other famous cultivars of Manchurian Apricot include Scout Apricot, Moongold, and many more.

Canada Plum is a cold-hardy wild plum native to North America with small red fruit. They ripen in mid to late summer, with bitter, astringent skin surrounding sweet, slightly acidic flesh that clings to the stone. While some enjoy eating the plums 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.

White to pink flowers appear in spring, often before the leaves, providing an early source of nectar and pollen for native bees and other pollinators. Birds and other wildlife also feed on the fruit, adding to its ecological value. Canada Plum can grow as a small tree or large, multi-stemmed shrub. It is well suited to a variety of projects, including fruit orchards for cross-pollination, as well as pollinator plantings, naturalization, and restoration projects.

Manchurian Apricot Quick Facts

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2b
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 5 m (18 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: orange to yellow
Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Bark: red to cinnamon brown
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Flowers: white to light pink
Flowers: white
Fruit: small apricot
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Fruit size: 40g
Firmness: firm
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: american plum, black plum, canada plum, horse plum, wild plum