Canada Plum vs Beedle Pear - TreeTime.ca

Canada Plum vs Beedle Pear

Prunus nigra

Pyrus Beedle

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Canada Plum
Beedle 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.

Beedle Pear is sweet, soft, and juicy with no astringency making it great for fresh eating. They typically ripen on the tree in early September. The medium-sized pears keep relatively well when compared to other varieties. For most years it is a reliable producer on the prairies.

The Beedle Pear is a cold hardy pear with Canadian roots. John Beedle discovered it on a city boulevard in St. Albert, Alberta.

For fruit production, another pear variety is required for cross-pollination. Can be paired with Krazulya Pear or Ussurian Pear.

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Beedle Pear Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Spread: 4 m (14 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 size: 100g
Flavor: sweet, lacks astrigency
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