Canada Plum vs Manor Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum vs Manor Cherry Plum

Prunus nigra

Prunus besseyi x salicina Manor

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Canada Plum
Manor Cherry 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.

Manor Cherry Plum has a nice sweet flavour and a hint of astringency, making it a top Cherry Plum variety. They ripen in mid to late August and are well suited to fresh eating, baking, and preserves.

The fruit is closer to a plum than a cherry but is smaller than most plums.The Manor Cherry Plum has thin dark purple skin, nearly black when ripe and the flesh is purplish-red. The flesh is almost freestone and is tender and juicy. Similar to other stone fruits, it does not store for very long but can keep for up to a week in the fridge.

The Manor Cherry Plum is a hybrid between a Western Sand Cherry and a Japanese (Chinese) 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

Manor Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 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: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium
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: nearly black when ripe and purplish-red flesh
Fruit size: 2.5-3 cm in diameter
Flavor: sweet flavour, slightly astringent
Harvest: mid to late August
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: manor chum, manor plum cherry