Cherry Prinsepia vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Cherry Prinsepia vs American Plum

Prinsepia sinensis

Prunus americana

CUSTOM GROW

COMING SOON

Cherry Prinsepia
American Plum

Cherry Prinsepia is an attractive, cold hardy shrub with thorny stems and a rounded shape.

Primarily used for its shrub and hedge characteristics, Cherry Prinsepia is also grown for its ornamental fruit. Tart in flavor, the red berries are edible and enjoyed by birds and humans alike.

If deer are an issue on your property, try planting Cherry Prinsepia in a tight row to create a dense hedge to deter them.

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.

Cherry Prinsepia Quick Facts

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 3b
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 1.8 m (6 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: yellow-white
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: showy, red cherries
Fruit: small, red plums
Fruit size: 2-3cm in diameter
Firmness: firm
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: SK, MB, ON
Other Names: american wild plum, wild plum