Witch Hazel vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Witch Hazel vs American Plum

Prunus americana

Hamamelis virginiana

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American Plum
Witch Hazel

American Plum is a cold-hardy wild plum native to North America that grows as a small tree or large multi-stemmed shrub. Small, firm, red plums ripen from mid to late summer; the skin is tough and tart, whereas the flesh is sweet and juicy. While some enjoy eating them 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.

In spring, American Plum produces abundant white to pink flowers that attract a variety of pollinators, providing an important early-season source of nectar and pollen. It also serves as a host plant for numerous moth and butterfly species. In its native range, it is recognized as an important keystone plant, as it has a disproportionately large impact on local ecosystems.

American Plum tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, from acidic to alkaline, and heavy clay. It is well suited to a variety of projects, including fruit orchards for cross-pollination, as well as pollinator plantings, naturalization, and restoration projects.

Witch Hazel is a deciduous shrub, or small tree, with a short trunk, bearing numerous spreading, crooked branches.

The seeds grow in a long, wooden pod with two to four seeds per pod. Upon ripening, the pods burst, firing the seeds up to 30km an hour.

The leaf and bark extract of Witch Hazel has been used as a remedy to common ailments such as inflammation, bruises and much more for many centuries.

American Plum Quick Facts

Witch Hazel Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: long
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide

Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: small, red plums
Fruit size: 2-3cm in diameter
Firmness: firm
Harvest: mid to late summer
Seeds: seeds ejected to a distance of up to 30 ft
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Other Names: american wild plum, wild plum