Rosy Lights Rhododendron (Azalea) vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Rosy Lights Rhododendron (Azalea) vs Opata Cherry Plum

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

Rhododendron x Rosy Lights

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(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

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Opata Cherry Plum
Rosy Lights Rhododendron (Azalea)

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.

Rosy Lights Rhododendron is the next flowering, deciduous shrub you need in your garden. It is incredibly cold hardy and produces fragrant, bright pink blooms in late spring. Pruning is recommended after the flowers are finished to control the size and shape of this shrub.

Try Rosy Lights Rhododendron when planning your next hedge/screen, or plant it on its own as a striking accent plant. Part of the Northern Lights Series.

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Rosy Lights Rhododendron (Azalea) Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no
Fall colour: Maroon
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: mid to late August
Flowers: large, pink
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: low




Toxicity: All parts of a rhododendron bush, including the leaves, stems and blooms, are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry