One important thing to know is that Japanese and European varieties will not cross-pollinate, as they have a different chromosomal makeup. Multiple trees should have 15 to 20 feet of space between them for ample growth. Many Japanese varieties are not self-fruiting, meaning they will have to be planted in pairs of different cultivars to fruit successfully. The fruit’s skin color ranges from yellows and reds to blues, purples, and almost black. They generally produce a rounded fruit around 2 inches in diameter. Japanese plum tree types tend to grow more fanned out than their European cousins. They are great fruit trees for states like Tennessee and other southern states. Gardeners enjoy their early spring blossoms and, on average, will thrive well in climate zones 5 through 9, making them versatile for many U.S. These trees are ideal for growing in dry and mild climates. Japanese plums made their appearance in the United States back in the late 1870s. Almost every planting zone on the globe can host a suitable plum tree for cultivation.

Suffice to say that all plum tree types are cultivated and enjoyed worldwide. We will get into some of the differences between the three later.

Most American plum tree cultivars are a hybrid of native North American species and various Japanese species.

Japanese (Prunus salicina) and European (Prunus domestica) are the most commonly cultivated, representing the majority of plums you find in the marketplace.Ī third plum tree type is the American Plum Tree (Prunus americana), also known as bush plums. Aside from bearing delicious fruit, plum trees are also beautiful additions to any landscape, with lovely foliage and brilliant flowers in the spring.Īlthough they are thriving throughout many areas globally, plum tree types fall into three general variety groups. The truth is that plums have a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sweetness to them. When you think of plums, you probably picture an oval-shaped purple fruit with a pit and a little bigger than a golf ball.

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