Perhaps the best plum pollinator is the Canada plum (Prunus Nigra). It is our native northernmost growing plum, primarly growing in eastern Canada but found as west as Manitoba. This is a prairie hardy plum and is found thriving all over the prairies. Canada plum trees are thicket forming and thorny. This plum has a longer flowering cycle and excellent pollen volume to effectively pollinate plum trees. Most plums besides the European plums are hybrids such as our common Japanese and American plums. These hybrids do flower but have a poor pollen count to effectively pollinate other plums. If you’re plum trees are still not producing, this is tree is key. The fruit once fully ripened is very sweet and good for processing.
Hardiness Zone: 2
Height: 16'
Spread: 14-16'
Soil Preference: Well drained
Light Exposure: Full sun
Pollination: Self-fertile
Latin Name: Prunus Nigra