Canadian Plum

Prunus nigra

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Rosaceae
Genus:
Prunus
Species:
Prunus nigra

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Tree
Height:
20-40 ft
Light Requirements:
Part Shade, Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr, may, jun
Bloom Colors:
White, Pink

Native Range

United States: Connecticut, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Vermont, Wisconsin, Canada: Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Acronicta superans, Characoma nilotica, Striped Hairstreak (Satyrium liparops)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Spurred Small Carpenter Bee (Ceratina calcarata), Spurred Small Carpenter Bee (Ceratina calcarata)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
prefers fertile soils with good organic matter

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Scarify, then cold-moist stratify for 60 days.

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o