Canada Plum vs Diablo Ninebark - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum vs Diablo Ninebark

Prunus nigra

Physocarpus opulifolius Diablo

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Canada Plum
Diablo Ninebark

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.

Diablo Ninebark is a small, low maintenance, multi-stemmed shrub, that is used to add texture or color to any yard. This plant grows dark purple leaves in the spring and grows slightly faster than Common Ninebark. It features flaky red to brown bark, clusters of white flowers, and long, maple-like leaves. Diablo Ninebark can make a dense and colorful hedge, or it can be an attractive ornamental by itself.

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Diablo Ninebark Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: reddish-purple
Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Bark: brown to red, exfoliating
Flowers: white
Flowers: white
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Berries: red
Seeds: inflated seed capsules
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
Other Names: eastern ninebark, purple ninebark