Facts About Plum Trees: Description, Varieties, and Uses

Types of Plum Trees and Facts About Them

The plum tree is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree found in the temperate climates of Europe, Asia, and North America. It produces a plump and juicy fruit commonly known as the plum.

The name plum was derived from the Old English word "plume," borrowed from Germanic or Middle Dutch that was in turn derived from the Latin word "prunum."

Although the primary purpose of the plum trees is to harvest their fruit, they can also make beautiful ornamental trees. Plums come in various sizes and colors and have nutritional benefits.

Many varieties of plums are grown worldwide, and many of them can grow in a range of soils and climatic conditions.

History of Plum Trees

Plum trees date back to the Bronze Age. Egyptians placed prunes or dried plums in the tombs under their pyramids. They were domesticated in China more than 2000 years ago and have figured in documents since 479 BCE.

The common "European" plum tree (Plum domestica) originated around the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea and is at least 2000 years old.

The "Damsom" plum tree (Plum insititia) is probably of European or Asiatic origin. Ancient writings connect the early cultivation of these plums with the region around Damascus. It is the ancestor of the plums that we eat today.

The Japanese plum (Prunus salicina) was first domesticated in China thousands of years ago. Still, it was extensively developed in Japan, and from there, it was introduced to the rest of the world.

The Japanese plum tree is popular in Japan, the USA, Israel, Korea, Vietnam, and Australia.

What Are Plums?

Plums are the fruits produced by the plum trees belonging to the genus "Prunus" and sub-genus "prunus."

Plums are drupe fruits. Drupe is the botanical name for the stone fruit. A drupe is a fleshy fruit with a thin outer skin, a fleshy middle layer, and a central stone containing the seed. The outer skin is thin and naturally waxy.

The plums vary in size, color, sweetness, and texture of fruit depending on the variety. The skin can be green, yellow, purple, or red. The inner flesh can be red, green, yellow, or white.

The plum pit or seed is poisonous and should not be consumed.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Magnoliopsida
• Order: Rosales
• Family: Rosaceae
• Genus: Prunus
• Subgenus: prunus

3 Major Types

Plum trees belong to three major categories:

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1. Japanese Plum Tree
2. European Plum Tree
3. American Plum Tree

Given below are the descriptions of these trees.

1. Japanese Plum Tree

The Japanese plum trees (Prunus salicina) are small flowering trees that bloom earlier in spring, and their fruits ripen earlier in summer compared to the European plum trees. They also require fewer chilling hours than the European plum trees to set fruit. Therefore, the cultivars of this tree are popular and dominate the market for their plums.

The Japanese plum tree is a deciduous tree that grows to 20–33 feet in height with a width of 15–30 feet. It has a rounded form and a medium growth rate.

The Blossoming Beauty

The leaves are 3–6 inches long, green, and simple, with serrated margins. The flowers bloom in spring and are white, cup-shaped, and have 4-5 petals. The flowers appear the first year after planting, and the fruits the following spring. In mature plum trees, blooms nearly cover all the tree branches.

These flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators. The fruit is a drupe, 1-3 inches wide. The color of the fruit (plum) can vary from gold/to yellow/red. It has yellow-red flesh and is harvested in summer. The Japanese plum tree grows well in full sun to partial shade in slightly acidic, loamy soil with good drainage.

Dioecious Tree Requiring Cross-Pollination

The Japanese plum tree is dioecious (male and female flowers bloom on separate trees). For fruits to form, male and female plum trees should be planted alongside each other so that cross-pollination can occur to set fruit. It can take 4 to 6 years for the Japanese plum tree to produce fruits.

2. European Plum Tree

The European plum (Prunus domestica) is known as the "Prune" plum and "Common" plum. It is a deciduous tree that grows as a large shrub or a small tree up to 10-20 feet tall. The flowers are white, and the fruit is purple.

The "Greengage" and the "Damsom" plums are subspecies of this plum tree that grow well in northern climates. It is primarily grown on the west coast and the Great Lakes area.

Springtime Blooming

The leaves measure 2–4 inches long and 1–3 inches wide; they are green, simple, and arranged in an alternate fashion around the stem. They are obovate to elliptical with serrated margins. The base is wedge-shaped, and the tip is pointed.

The flowers bloom in spring, white and showy, and appear in solitary or in pairs. The flowers have 4–5 petals and long stamens. They attract bees and other pollinators to the tree.

Fall Harvest

The fruit is 2–3 inches wide, edible, and showy, and can be harvested in the fall. The fleshy drupe matures to a blue or black plum and has a single seed inside. European plum trees begin to bear fruit 4–5 years after planting.

3. American Plum Tree

The American plum tree (Prunus americana) is a small deciduous single-trunk tree or multi-stemmed shrub that can be found growing in rocky or sandy soils in woodlands, pastures, and hedgerows.

It produces one-inch reddish-purple plums that are best suited for jams and jellies. Though this tree has fruits, it is typically planted for ornamental and wildlife value.

As a shrub, it forms thickets that provide a good cover for songbirds and small mammals throughout the year.

This tree grows 10–20 feet tall with a broad spreading crown. It grows in average, dry to medium, well-draining soils in full sun to part shade. The branches and twigs are attractive dark reddish-brown and sometimes have thorny lateral branches.

Spring Bloom and Summer Fruit

The leaves are oblong to ovate, 3–4 inches long, and turn yellow to red in autumn. The underside of the leaf is pale green.

The white flowers bloom in early spring, and the fruits ripen in July and August. They attract birds, bees, and butterflies. The flowers bloom in early spring, and the fruit forms in late summer.

The American plum tree grows in full sun, partial sun/shade, and in full shade in clay, loamy, moist, and well-draining soil that is slightly acidic. These trees provide food and cover for butterflies, larvae, birds, and mammals but are not pet-friendly.

American plum trees can produce fruit within 2 to 3 years of planting, depending on the care and climate.

Plum Varieties to Grow in Your Garden

Many plum varieties are easy to grow in the garden.

There are two varieties of plum trees:

• Plum trees that are self-fertile and do not need another partner tree for cross-pollination to bear fruit
• Plum trees that need cross-pollination to bear fruit and, therefore, require another partner tree for cross-pollination

Self-Fertile Varieties to Grow in Your Garden

1. Mariposa Plum Tree

The "Mariposa" plum tree is a deciduous tree with an upright growth habitat. It produces large heart-shaped plums with deep red skin and yellow flesh with a sweet flavor. "Mariposa" is a Japanese plum variety that produces medium-sized fruits with reddish skin.

This plum has a sweet, soft, dark red flesh with a small pip, almost freestone, and is suitable for eating fresh, preserving, and making jams. It is partially self-fertile and will produce more fruits when pollinated by another Japanese plum, like "Santa Rosa." It starts bearing fruit 3–5 years after planting.

2. Stanley Plum Tree

The "Stanley" plum tree is a European tree with a spreading canopy with finely serrated bright green leaves. It blooms in mid-spring with fragrant white flowers. The fruits ripen during late spring and summer.

The plums are dark blue with greenish-yellow flesh, juicy, and sweet. They have a high sugar content and are good for eating, canning, or making jelly. This self-fertile tree bears more fruits when cross-pollinated with another cultivar. It begins to bear fruits in 3–4 growing seasons.

3. Santa Rosa Plum Tree

The "Santa Rosa" plum tree is a fast-growing tree that produces delicious and juicy fruit during the middle of summer. It is a cross between Asian and European varieties of plums. These trees can self-pollinate but yield a better crop when cross-pollinated with other Japanese plum varieties.

The "Santa Rosa" plum tree matures in three to five years, whereas the average plum tree will take four to six years to mature. The small fruits grow in bunches on the trees. The flowers are small and white, and the plums have a deep red, chalky skin with yellow and orange flesh. These plums can be used in sauces, puddings, baked goods, or on top of desserts.

4. Greengage Plum Tree

The "Greengage" plum trees are self-fertile and bear fruits that are small to medium in size, green or yellow depending on the variety. These plums are sweet and juicy, making them an excellent choice for canning, desserts, drying, and preserving.

There are many varieties of the "Greengage" plum trees to choose from, and all the varieties produce sweet, juicy plums with bountiful harvests. The plums will be ready for harvest from late summer to early fall. They flourish the most in regions with sunny, hot summers but cool nights.