Prunus nigra - Shrub - Canada Plum, Canadian Plum Page

The Canada Plum, or Prunus nigra, is a deciduous shrub or small tree native to eastern North America. It grows up to 10 meters tall, with a low-branched, dense crown of stiff branches. The fruit is an oblong-oval drupe, 25-30 millimeters long, with a tough, thick, orange-red skin and yellow flesh adherent to the stone. Although somewhat sour, the fruit is very juicy and can be eaten raw when fully ripe, or cooked and made into pies, preserves and jellies. Its wood is bright red-brown, heavy, hard, strong, and close-grained, and sawlogs of intentionally wounded trees are sought by woodturners. The Canada Plum is one of the few tree fruits indigenous to the upper Midwest, northern Ontario, and the prairie provinces of Canada, capable of surviving harsh winters. Efforts were made to breed improved cultivars of these plums in the 19th century, resulting in P. nigra x salicina hybrid varieties, such as "Pembina," "Superior," and "Patterson Pride," retaining the high quality of Japanese plums and the hardiness of wild Canada plums.