Neon Flash Spiraea vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Neon Flash Spiraea vs American Plum

Spiraea japonica Neon Flash

Prunus americana

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Neon Flash Spiraea
American Plum

Neon Flash Spiraea is a colorful, low maintenance, and multi-purpose shrub.

Late spring to fall you'll be drawn to its vibrant neon red blooms that rest on a neat mound of green foliage. If deer and rabbit are an issue on your property, consider planting Neon Flash Spiraea for its deer/rabbit resistance. Its tolerance of a variety of well-drained soils makes it an ideal foundation, landscaping, or border plant.

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.

Neon Flash Spiraea Quick Facts

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 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: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Fall colour: burgundy bronze
Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: pale to bright pink
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
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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