Ohio Buckeye vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Ohio Buckeye vs American Plum

Aesculus glabra

Prunus americana

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Ohio Buckeye
American 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.

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.

Ohio Buckeye Quick Facts

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 15 m (49 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - high
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium
Maintenance: medium

Toxicity: nuts are toxic to humans and cattle

Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Foliage: palmate
Fall colour: reddish-orange or yellow
Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: small, red plums
Nuts: spiny nut
Fruit size: 2-3cm in diameter
Firmness: firm
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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