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Sour Cherry vs Opata Cherry Plum
Prunus cerasus
Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata
Sour Cherry is cold-hardy and typically grows as a small tree. In late spring, it produces clusters of fragrant white blossoms that mature into bright red, tart fruit. Although the cherries can be eaten fresh, they are most commonly used in baking and preserves.
While not native to North America, Sour Cherry serves as a larval host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), a butterfly native to eastern North America.
Sour cherries are self-fertile; however, planting near additional cherry trees for cross-pollination can increase yields.
This Sour Cherry is produced from seed collected from an Evans Cherry and is not clonally reproduced.
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.

