Debbies Gold Apricot vs American Plum - TreeTime.ca

Debbies Gold Apricot vs American Plum

Prunus × Debbies Gold

Prunus americana

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Debbies Gold Apricot
American Plum

Debbie’s Gold Apricot is a cold-hardy variety known for its firm, sweet, and aromatic fruit. The white to pink flowers bloom several days later than other varieties, making them less susceptible to spring frosts. Their orange-yellow, freestone apricots ripen from late July to mid August and are well-suited for fresh eating, baking, canning, and preserves.

Debbie’s Gold Apricot is generally considered to be partially self-pollinating, but planting with another variety for cross-pollination can increase yields.

Note: While the bloom time is later than other varieties, the flowers are still vulnerable to spring frosts, which can reduce or eliminate the fruit crop.

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.

Debbies Gold Apricot Quick Facts

American Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 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: medium
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to spreading
Growth form: rounded to spreading, thicket forming
Spreading: suckering - low
Spreading: suckering - high
Maintenance: high
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: leaves, stems, pits contain cyanide
Fall colour: gold to orange
Flowers: white to pink
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Bloom time: early to mid spring
Fruit: freestone apricots
Fruit: small, red plums
Fruit size: 3-4cm in diameter
Fruit size: 2-3cm in diameter
Firmness: firm
Flavor: sweet, aromatic
Harvest: mid to late summer
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