It seems that the trademark name is one word, "BlackIce", so when I did a search I found Motz Nursery sells it. They are out of stock now, but I expect they don't have next years inventory up yet. It is also called "Lydecker". What could be more confusing? Of course now I want to try it too.

Lydecker/BlackIce (tm) Plum: A New Plum for the Midwest
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/ygnews/2011/08/post-16.html

Prunus 'Lydecker' Common Name: Plum, BlackIce (tm)
http://www.ebertsgreenhouse.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.plantDetail/plant_id/1863/typeID/4/index.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Black Ice Plum

mattpf,

I didn't see that you were in Canada. I found a post that has information that you might find helpful. Scroll down to the link for Saint Lawrence Nursery.

I know SLN doesn't have their 2013 catalog up yet, but hopefully they will have BlackIce in it. I have done business with them before and their trees have always been well-rooted and healthy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Porcupine damage

Apparently it's a very hardy plum also. IMO black Asian plums are best for fresh eating.thats what I'm after. I don't have much space left maybe room for one tree on the north west side of my house. doesn't get nearly as much sun as the back so black ice plum maybe not even a good choice for me. I was thinking getting seeds and grafting onto a very hardy plum like pembina or brookgold.

I also have two italian blue plum trees in my south west facing yard that I could graft black ice onto? Don't know exactly if one can graft all variety of plums onto other plums? From what I've read one could .ive even heard of people grafting apricots onto plum trees? Don't know if that actually works also.

Growing most fruit from seed is a crap shoot. Peaches usually come close to the parent, or at least something desireable. Most citrus are polyembryonic, which means the seed has multiple embryos, making it possible that you will get the parent tree, or something close.

Plums seem to be in the middle ground. Ive read greengage and other yellow/green plums will grow close to the parent. Japanese plums (especially the hardy ones) are usually crossed with the american plum (prunus americana (or prunus nigra/canadiensis)). They wont come too close to the parent tree. THe only way to ensure you get good "black ice" plums, is to get a tree, or at least get some scion.

Ive read its possible to graft apricot to some plums (the asian types may do better, but thats a guess), and I think its possible to graft SOME japanese plums to european.

I will say also, that you may not have much luck with peaches in s alberta. Ive lived in calgary. The thaw freeze cycles you get will probably make the trunk explode, or make it so you wont have fruit (the three years i was there, we had snow and frost into June. This means before, during and after flowering. THe best advice I can give if you decide to try peach (hell, I am!) is to make sure the trunk stays in the shade all winter, and that the tree stays cold until the threat of frost goes away. Even then its a slim chance, but who knows!

You may have luck with "toka". Most sources state zone 3 or 4. Its a red japanese/american hybrid developed in south dakota, so it should be more able to survive the praries :D

Hi Mattpf,

Try Fedco Nursery in Maine. Google its website. Fedco offers Blackice for the past few years including this year. According Fedco, BlackIce is cold hardy to zone 3.

P.S. I enjoy reading Fedco catalog, it's interesting read and I always learn something.

Canadianplant .... My peach trees have massive peaches on them as we speak. But they are a genetic dawarf tree and are about 1foot tall very busy and produce amazing big fruits. They live in containers I'm able to move around with ease . They have a perfect wintering spot with my banana trees . As for late frosts in June ? I've live south of the city for 30 years now
Ive never seen damaging frosts that late before. A little bit of frost ain't going to kill off much anyways . Not up here days are so long in month of June and it rarely will dip below 5 degrees . I will not uncover the trees until end of may .

Canadianplant .... My peach trees have massive peaches on them as we speak. But they are a genetic dawarf tree and are about 1foot tall very busy and produce amazing big fruits. They live in containers I'm able to move around with ease . They have a perfect wintering spot with my banana trees . As for late frosts in June ? I've live south of the city for 30 years now
Ive never seen damaging frosts that late before. A little bit of frost ain't going to kill off much anyways . Not up here days are so long in month of June and it rarely will dip below 5 degrees . I will not uncover the trees until end of may .