Common Hackberry vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Opata Cherry Plum

Celtis occidentalis

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Common Hackberry
Opata Cherry Plum

The Common Hackberry is a medium-sized deciduous tree that resembles the American Elm but is immune to Dutch Elm Disease. They are versatile and can adapt to a variety of growing conditions.

It produces purple-red, berry-like fruit with a large seed in the center. Both the sweet flesh, which tastes similar to dates, and the crunchy seed are edible. The fruit remains on the tree throughout the winter, offering a valuable food source for birds and other wildlife.

The Common Hackberry can also be a great addition to a pollinator garden. The tree itself is a host for the larvae of several butterfly species and the flowers provide a source of pollen and nectar.

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.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium


Fruit: skin green and red, flesh yellow-green
Berries: black, edible
Fruit size: 3 cm in diameter
Flavor: sweet
Flavor: pleasant and sweet, hint of acidity
Harvest: late fall to winter
Harvest: mid to late August
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: MB, ON, QC
Other Names: american hackberry, beaverwood, false elm, nettle tree, northern hackberry
Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry