Canada Plum & American Plum vs Buttonbush - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum & American Plum vs Buttonbush

Prunus nigra and americana

Cephalanthus occidentalis

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Canada Plum & American Plum
Buttonbush

Canada and American Plum are almost identical in appearance and growth needs. These plants are short and stout fruit trees native to North America.

This hardy ornamental is excellent for both city dwellings as well as rural areas. During the spring, the white and pink blossoms are long lasting. The tasty fruit is suitable for fresh eating, baking, and preserves. These trees are not widely distributed and pure seed can be hard to come by.

Both are commonly used as rootstock and are considered universal pollinizers for other plum varieties.

Buttonbush is a moisture loving shrub that provides year round interest.

It has round, fragrant flowers resembling small buttons or pincushions. The flowers transform into small reddish-brown fruit that persists into winter while the leaves take on shades of red in fall.

Providing essential food to bees, butterflies, and other insects, this shrub is versatile. Try it in your next shrub border.

Canada Plum & American Plum Quick Facts

Buttonbush Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 4a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Suckering: high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


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


Other Names: american plum, black plum, canada plum, horse plum, wild plum