Canada Plum vs Round Leaf Hawthorn - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum vs Round Leaf Hawthorn

Prunus nigra

Crataegus chrysocarpa (Crataegus rotundifolia)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Canada Plum
Round Leaf Hawthorn

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.

Getting its name from rounded, toothed leaves, the Round Leaf Hawthorn is a winter hardy shrub that grows small, red, berry-like fruits.

Commonly used for landscaping, this shrub can also be found along stream banks and in wooded areas. Caution is advised when handling the Round Leaf Hawthorn, as it can have sharp thorns approximately 1" long.

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Round Leaf Hawthorn Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 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, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


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


Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Other Names: american plum, black plum, canada plum, horse plum, wild plum