Panicle Hydrangea vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Panicle Hydrangea vs Opata Cherry Plum

Hydrangea paniculata

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

ONLY AVAILABLE BY CONTRACT GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Panicle Hydrangea
Opata Cherry Plum

Panicle Hydrangea is a large, broad-leaf, deciduous shrub that is prized for its ornamental appeal. It is easy to care for, long-lived, and cold-hardy.

Depending on the variety, its flowers change color throughout the blooming period. Make sure you water Panicle Hydrangeas regularly to achieve the most notable color change.

Opata Cherry Plum is considered to be one of the best tasting Cherry Plum varieties. It has a pleasant, sweet flavour and a hint of acidity. 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 Opata Cherry Plum’s skin is red/green whereas the flesh is yellow-green. The flesh is freestone with a juicy, firm texture. Similar to other stone fruits, it does not store for very long.

The Opata 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.

Panicle Hydrangea Quick Facts

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: mid to late August
Flowers: white, strong scent, very showy
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: medium




Other Names: white panicle hydrangea
Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry