Amur Maackia vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Amur Maackia vs Opata Cherry Plum

Maackia amurensis

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Amur Maackia
Opata Cherry Plum

Amur Maackia is a robust and pretty tree often used for urban decoration and landscaping. This tree has coppery peeling bark that can sometimes resemble lace. Its upright clusters of small white flowers usually bloom in midsummer. Amur Maackia's Small size makes it a great choice for small yards or limited space.

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.

Amur Maackia Quick Facts

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 4a
Zone: 2a
Height: 8 m (25 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: brown
Bark: shiny copper colour shedding in curls
Flowers: upright clusters of small white flowers
Fruit: skin green and red, flesh yellow-green
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: mid to late August
Seeds: wide flat seedpods
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: maackia
Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry