Ontario-grown plums arrive in markets this summer as Niagara-area growers prepare for another tender fruit harvest season.
Ontario Plum Season Begins as Niagara Growers Prepare for Summer Harvest
Ontario is Canada's leading plum-producing province, with most production concentrated in the Niagara Peninsula. In 2025, 775 harvest acres of plums, producedg 7,130,000 pounds of fruit.
Plums are one of Ontario's key tender fruit crops and are harvested throughout the summer, providing consumers with a wide range of sweet and tart varieties, and, like many other tender fruit, the harvest has begun.
The Niagara Peninsula, where the moderating effects of Lake Ontario create a favorable environment for growing tender fruits -- it's the heart of the province's tree-fruit sector for peaches, nectarines, pears, and other orchard crops as well.
Plum trees can be productive for decades. A well-managed plum orchard can continue producing fruit for 20 years or more, making orchard establishment a long-term investment for growers.
Surprisingly, Ontario plums are actually closer relatives to roses than they are to apples, as both plums and roses belong to the Rosaceae family.
Ontario plum farmers grow a wide range of plum varieties during the season. According to Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, the province produces both Japanese and European plum types.
Popular yellow plum varieties include Early Golden and Shiro, while red varieties such as Burbank, Ozark Premier, and Vanier are also grown. Blue and purple varieties, including Valor, Voyageur, Victory, and Verity, offer different flavors, colors, and uses.
These plums vary from sweet to slightly tart and are suitable for fresh eating, baking, preserves, sauces, and other culinary uses. European prune-type plums are particularly valued for cooking and processing applications.
Plums are nutritional powerhouses, providing Vitamin C, Vitamin K, fibre, and antioxidants. Dark-skinned varieties contain anthocyanins, the same type of antioxidant found in blueberries.
Photo Credit: Pexels - Carolina Prado