Pin Cherry vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Pin Cherry vs Opata Cherry Plum

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

Prunus pensylvanica

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Opata Cherry Plum
Pin Cherry

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.

Pin Cherry is a small tree that produces clusters of white blossoms in spring followed by bright red berries that ripen through the summer. The attractive red color of the leaves in the fall is an added bonus.

The fruit is quite sour when eaten fresh but is excellent when cooked into jam or jelly. Birds love the berries and will be attracted to your property.

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Pin Cherry Quick Facts

Lowest Price: $15.99 - SAVE UP TO 20%
Zone: 2a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: very bright orangish-red
Bark: reddish brown bark has an attractive appearance in the winter
Flowers: white
Fruit: skin green and red, flesh yellow-green
Fruit: clusters of edible, red cherries often used for jams and jellies
Berries: clusters of edible, red cherries often used for jams and jellies
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: mid to late August
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, NT, PE
Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry
Other Names: bird cherry, fire cherry, pincherry, red cherry, wild red cherry