American plum (wild plum)

Prunus americana · Rose family (Rosaceae)

At a glance
Hardiness zones	3 to 9
Sun	full sun to part shade
Water	low
Life cycle	perennial
Frost	Hardy: takes frost
Spacing	96 inches

About American plum (wild plum)

American plum is a native small tree or thicket-forming shrub with fragrant white spring flowers and small red to purple plums in late summer. The fruit is best in jelly, jam and sauce. It is hardy and drought-tolerant, and it makes a good pollen partner for cold-hardy hybrid plums.

NC State lists zones 3-9. It grows wild from Massachusetts to Manitoba and Montana, south to Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma and Florida (USDA NRCS).

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Plant dormant bare-root trees in early spring once the ground can be worked (University of Minnesota, for stone fruits); NRCS plantings set them 8 feet apart in rows 16 feet apart. Under good conditions they flower and fruit within 3 years (USDA NRCS), and they sucker freely into thickets (NC State).

Soil

Well-drained soil is best, but it tolerates sandy to poorly drained soils, heat and drought (USDA NRCS; NC State).

Plant in well-drained soil in a sunny spot for the best fruit, keeping weeds down around young trees.

Feeding

Each spring once established, only if growth is weak: compost (a nitrogen source). Skip feeding if last season's shoots grew 15 inches or more; bearing trees should make at least about 8 inches of new growth (University of Minnesota, for stone fruits).

Don't overfeed a tree that is growing well; plant more than one American plum, since it is cross-pollinated.

Harvest

Fruit ripens from August to September (USDA NRCS), or July-August in North Carolina (NC State), turning red to dark purple. As with other plums, ripe flesh gives to gentle thumb pressure, and tasting is the best test (University of Minnesota).

American plum fruits every year: it flowers in April-May and the plums ripen in August-September.

Varieties (19)

Variety	Type	Notes
Blackhawk	American plum selection
De Soto	American plum selection
Hawkeye	American plum selection
South Dakota	American plum type	Medium plums with reddish-yellow skin, good fresh or in preserves. Hardy, vigorous and productive. Nebraska lists it for zones 4-5.
Alderman	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Large, sweet, juicy fruit with burgundy skin and golden flesh. Attractive tree to about 20 ft. Minnesota rates it good in zone 4 and fair in zone 3. Thin the fruit for bigger plums.
BlackIce	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Large, 2-inch plums with blue-black skin and deep red flesh. Naturally small, weeping tree to about 10 ft. Rated very good in zone 4 and good in zone 3 (Minnesota).
Ember	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)
Kaga	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)
LaCrescent	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Small to medium yellow plums, juicy and very sweet with a hint of apricot. Tree to about 15 ft; rated very good in zone 4 and good in zone 3 (Minnesota).
Monitor	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)
Pembina	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Large, pointed plums with bright red skin and sweet, juicy yellow flesh. Extremely hardy tree to about 15 ft; Minnesota says it may even survive zone 2.
Pipestone	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Very large plums with thin, tough red skin and sweet, melting golden flesh. Tree to about 15 ft. Minnesota rates it very good in zone 4 and good in zone 3.
Redglow	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)
Superior	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Large plums with bright red, peelable skin and rich, very sweet yellow flesh. Very hardy, fast-growing tree to about 15 ft. Minnesota rates it good in zone 4 but poor in zone 3; Nebraska lists zones 4-5.
Tecumseh	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)
Toka	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Medium, richly flavored fruit with deep magenta to apricot-colored skin, golden flesh and a spicy-sweet taste. Very hardy tree to about 20 ft. Minnesota rates it good in zone 4 and fair in zone 3.
Underwood	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Medium, heart-shaped plums with red skin and soft yellow flesh. Very hardy tree to about 15 ft; rated very good in zone 4 and good in zone 3 (Minnesota).
Waneta	Hybrid (Japanese x American plum)	Red skin over sweet, juicy yellow flesh. Very hardy tree to about 15 ft; rated very good in zone 4 and good in zone 3 (Minnesota).
Midwest Premium	Native germplasm release (conservation)	A blend of six wild American plum collections rather than a single clone.

Good neighbors

Plum

American plum is cross-pollinated, so plant more than one (USDA NRCS). It is also a pollen source for hybrid plums such as Alderman, Pipestone, Superior, Toka and Underwood (University of Minnesota).

Pests to watch for

Plum curculio, Aphids, Scale insects, Eastern tent caterpillar, Deer, Rabbits

Diseases and problems

Brown rot, Black knot, Leaf spot, Canker, Plum pockets

In the kitchen

Eaten fresh or made into sauce, jam and jelly, canned or baked (USDA NRCS); the raw fruit is often tart, so it is best in preserves (NC State).

Keeping it: Ripe plums keep in the refrigerator for a few days; let firmer ones finish ripening at room temperature in a paper bag first.

Safety: Seeds, leaves and stems contain cyanide-forming compounds. Swallowing a couple of whole pits by accident won't poison you, but crushing or chewing them raises the danger (NC State).

Pets: Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA lists plums and cherries, Prunus spp.): stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides, especially as leaves wilt; signs include brick-red gums, dilated pupils, trouble breathing, panting and shock

Sources

Photo: Photo: Matt Lavin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (CC BY-SA 2.0). Photo resized for the web.

Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.