Canada Plum vs Loving Pear - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum vs Loving Pear

Prunus nigra

Pyrus Loving

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Canada Plum
Loving Pear

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.

Loving Pear is a Russian pear variety with a mild sweet flavor and a hint of sour. It is known for being cold hardy and disease resistant. They are green in colour but will transition to have a slightly golden red blush when ripe. With a minimal neck, they have a more rounded appearance.

They ripen in early September. It is recommended that they are harvested as the seeds begin to brown. They can finish ripening after picking. They keep well in cold storage and are suited for fresh eating, juicing, and dehydrating.

The Loving Pear requires a second variety for cross pollination. Some compatible varieties include Krazulya, Golden Spice, and others.

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Loving Pear Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Flowers: white
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Fruit: green, rounded pear shape
Firmness: firm
Flavor: mild, sweet flavor with a hint of sour
Harvest: early September
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