Canada Plum vs Patterson Pride Plum - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum vs Patterson Pride Plum

Prunus nigra

Prunus nigra x salicina Patterson Pride

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Canada Plum
Patterson Pride Plum

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.

The Patterson Pride Plum is known for its delicious flavor, with firm, sweet golden flesh and dark red skin that isn’t sour. The freestone plums can grow 4-5 cm in diameter and are well-suited for fresh eating, baking, and preserves. It can produce heavy yields that ripen in mid-September which is later than other plums.

C.F. Patterson developed the Patterson Pride Plum at the University of Saskatchewan. It is known for its semi-dwarf, weeping growth habit

Patterson Pride Plum is a hybrid between Canada Plum and Japanese Plum. For fruit production, it needs to be planted with another variety for cross-pollination. Canada Plum and American Plum are considered universal pollinizers.

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Patterson Pride Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2b
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium


Foliage: weeping branches
Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Fall colour: red to purple
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Flowers: white
Flowers: white
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Fruit: red skin, yellow flesh
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: yes
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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