Common Caragana vs Canada Plum - TreeTime.ca

Common Caragana vs Canada Plum

Caragana arborescens

Prunus nigra

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Caragana
Canada Plum

Common Caragana is a fast growing shrub that's known for its exceptional hardiness and drought tolerance. Although it's most commonly planted in shelterbelts, Common Caragana is also an excellent hedge or feature shrub.

Note: in warmer areas, this species can be difficult to contain once planted. Use the right plant in the right place.

Canada Plum is a cold-hardy wild plum native to North America with small red fruit. They ripen in mid to late summer, with bitter, astringent skin surrounding sweet, slightly acidic flesh that clings to the stone. While some enjoy eating the plums 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.

White to pink flowers appear in spring, often before the leaves, providing an early source of nectar and pollen for native bees and other pollinators. Birds and other wildlife also feed on the fruit, adding to its ecological value. Canada Plum can grow as a small tree or large, multi-stemmed shrub. It is well suited to a variety of projects, including fruit orchards for cross-pollination, as well as pollinator plantings, naturalization, and restoration projects.

Common Caragana Quick Facts

Canada Plum Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 2b
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Spread: 4 m (12 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: attractive yellow, gold
Bark: grey and scaly with age
Flowers: yellow, in spring
Flowers: white
Fruit: pod like fruits
Fruit: under 1 inch round yellow fruits with red blush to completely red, tart skin with sweet flesh
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no

In row spacing: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)

Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: black karagana, caragana, pea tree, siberian pea shrub, yellow acacia
Other Names: american plum, black plum, canada plum, horse plum, wild plum