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  • $100 minimum order
  • Our trees are organic

Characteristics of the tree

Height at maturity
1.5 meter (5 feet)
Spacing
1.5 meter (5 feet)
Soil
Well drained
Sun / shade
Full sun
Flowering
Mid-May
Harvest
Late August
Fruit color
Dark purple, almost black at maturity
Years to bear
2
Self-sterile. Needs a Canada Plum (Prunus nigra) or another cherry-plum
Latin name
Prunus besseyi x Prunus salicina 'Manor'
Average diameter of fruit
2.5cm-3cm
Organic

Manor cherry-plum is distinctive in appearance and delightful to eat. It also performs better than the average stone fruit for preserves. The shrub is highly productive, and hardy to zone 2.

Height at maturity
1.5 meter (5 feet)
Spacing
1.5 meter (5 feet)
Soil
Well drained
Sun / shade
Full sun
Flowering
Mid-May
Harvest
Late August
Fruit color
Dark purple, almost black at maturity
Years to bear
2
Self-sterile. Needs a Canada Plum (Prunus nigra) or another cherry-plum
Latin name
Prunus besseyi x Prunus salicina 'Manor'
Average diameter of fruit
2.5cm-3cm
Organic

Manor cherry-plum produces a small fruit, about 2.5-3cm in diameter; that is very distinctive both in appearance and taste. It is perfectly round with dark purple skin, almost black when completely ripe, and dark, red-purple flesh.

It is often rated as among the best of the cherry plums, along with Opata and Kappa. The skin is thin and tender with a mild taste, and the flesh is almost freestone; tender and juicy with a very nice sweet flavour, and only a slight astringency.

Some people prefer to pick and eat it a little earlier, when it is firmer and more astringent, but most prefer it when it is completely ripe and almost black in colour. It serves well for a variety of purposes, being very agreeable for fresh eating, but also very good for jam and for canning.

The Manor cherry-plum grows as a rather low bush with a spreading and somewhat weeping growth habit, reaching about 1.5 metres in height and spreading to a similar width. It is hardy to zone 2, very productive and quick to fruit – you should generally have fruit within the first two years.

Its flowers in spring are truly a thing of beauty! It is self-sterile, and will require either a Canada plum (Prunus nigra) or another cherry-plum such as ‘Opata’ in order to set fruit (preferably the latter). If you have a western sandcherry at home, this may also work as a pollinator. Note that American plum trees or their hybrids will not pollinate a cherry-plum.

‘Manor’ is an interspecies cross between western sandcherry, (Prunus besseyi) and the Japanese plum (Prunus salicina). It was introduced by the Mordern Research Station in Manitoba, in 1945.

The Manor cherry-plum grows as a rather low bush with a spreading and somewhat weeping growth habit, reaching about 1.5 m (5 ft) in height at maturity.

This illustration shows a 10-year-old plum tree that has attained its maximum height.

You should note that the development of a tree depends on the soil type, irrigation, fertilisation and climatic conditions.

Cherry-Plum CHUM tree growth evolution

All our cherry plum trees are sold bare-root, without pots. They have been cultivated directly in our soil. Bare-root trees must be taken out of the ground and shipped during their period of dormancy, which is why we only ship trees in the spring. A big advantage with these kinds of trees, is that they take up very little space, and can therefore be easily shipped by mail all over Canada!

This photograph shows a 2-3-foot chum tree, just like one that you might receive. Depending on the height you choose at the time of purchase, the tree might be a little smaller (1-2 feet) or somewhat taller (3-5 feet).

Manor is self-sterile, and will require either a Canada plum (Prunus nigra) or another cherry-plum such as ‘Opata’ in order to set fruit (preferably the latter).

If you have a western sandcherry at home, this may also work as a pollinator.

Note that American plum trees (Prunus americana) or their hybrids will not pollinate a cherry-plum.

Prunus nigra plum tree in bloom