Ohio Buckeye vs Opata Cherry Plum - TreeTime.ca

Ohio Buckeye vs Opata Cherry Plum

Aesculus glabra

Prunus besseyi x salicina Opata

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Ohio Buckeye
Opata Cherry Plum

Ohio Buckeye is a medium sized deciduous tree. If you are looking for a shade tree, Ohio Buckeye's dense canopy of unique leaves can provide it.

Named after its fruit, an inedible nut enclosed in a prickly husk, Ohio Buckeye also features green-yellow flowers and long, broad leaves that turn brilliant red in the fall.

Slow growing, but an extremely attractive tree. Find out what experienced horticulturalists already know: this tree is a gem.

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.

Ohio Buckeye Quick Facts

Opata Cherry Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 15 m (49 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: low
Suckering: medium
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: nuts are toxic to humans and cattle

Foliage: palmate
Fall colour: reddish-orange or yellow
Fruit: skin green and red, flesh yellow-green
Nuts: spiny nut
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: ON
Other Names: american buckeye, fetid buckeye
Other Names: opata chum, opata plum cherry