Plum seeds · Seeds compared
Canada Wild Plum vs Pembina seeds
A wild plum species and seed from a named hybrid parent, for growing varied plum seedlings.
Pembina Field Note · August 2026
8+ seeds$8.95 CAD
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View seedsFrom our listing
Canada Wild Plum (Prunus nigra) is a hardy native tree of the prairies and parklands of Manitoba, where it is relatively rare. Its oblong red and yellow plums are usually 1 to 1.25 inches long, with sweet flesh and tart skin, and ripen here in late August after American Wild Plums have usually dropped.
From our listing
Pembina is a hybrid of Japanese Plum (Prunus salicina) and Canada Wild Plum (Prunus nigra) introduced by the South Dakota Experiment Station in 1917. These seeds were collected from a local orchard in southern Manitoba.
Photos and fruit descriptions refer to the seed parents. These are seeds, not cloned plants; seedlings vary.
Side by side
Growing details
| Detail | Canada Wild Plum | Pembina |
|---|---|---|
| Seed parent fruit size | ¾ to 1¼ in long | 4 to 5 cm (about 1½ to 2 in) |
| Fruit shape | Oval | Not recorded |
| Ripening (seed parent) | Late August to early September in Manitoba | Not recorded |
| Leaves and margins | Broadly oval to rounded, with a pointed tip; doubly toothed margins with rounded teeth | Not recorded |
| Suckering habit | Tends to sucker less in our local observations; can form thickets elsewhere | Not recorded |
| Local occurrence | Rare locally compared with American plum | Not recorded |
| Pollination role | Excellent pollen source for compatible plums flowering at the same time | Not recorded |
| Seed parent background | Native species, Prunus nigra; grown from seed | Named hybrid cultivar, normally preserved by grafting; these are its seeds |
| Cold hardiness zone | 2 | 3 |
| Seed source | Manitoba | Manitoba |
| Stratification | 1 to 2 months warm, followed by 3 to 4 months cold | 1 to 2 months warm, followed by 4 to 6 months cold |
| Mature size | 12 to 15 ft | 12 to 15 ft |
| Native range | Species reference: native in central and eastern Canada and parts of the United States | Not recorded |
| Site and soil | Species habitat reference: river valleys, pastures and fencerows, especially lime soils | Not recorded |
| Ripening reference | Species reference: mid-August to early September; timing varies by seedling and site | Seed-parent reference: latter part of August in the historic prairie-orchard record |
| Growth habit reference | Not recorded | Seed-parent reference: spreading and vigorous tree |
| Seed-parent origin | Not recorded | Seed parent: Manitoba wild plum × Red June; introduced by South Dakota Experiment Station in 1917 |
A closer look
More about each choice
Canada Wild Plum
Canada Wild Plum (Prunus nigra) is a hardy native tree of the prairies and parklands of Manitoba, where it is relatively rare. Its oblong red and yellow plums are usually 1 to 1.25 inches long, with sweet flesh and tart skin, and ripen here in late August after American Wild Plums have usually dropped.
The species is an excellent pollinator for hybrid plums, provides wildlife food, and can be used as plum rootstock. It usually forms a more distinct single trunk and suckers less than American Wild Plum.
These seeds came from an old orchard row likely planted for rootstock 30 to 40 years ago. The isolated trees are open pollinated mainly by other wild plums in the row. Seedlings will vary, and some hybridization is possible, but most should remain close to the species.
Pembina
Pembina is a hybrid of Japanese Plum (Prunus salicina) and Canada Wild Plum (Prunus nigra) introduced by the South Dakota Experiment Station in 1917. These seeds were collected from a local orchard in southern Manitoba.
Seedlings will vary in growth, fruit size, flavour, and other traits while carrying Pembina's cold hardy genetics. They can be evaluated for new fruit qualities or used as rootstock for grafting other plums.
From the nursery
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