Different Types of Plums

Cultivars of large, sweet European plums (Prunus domestica) are typically easier to care for in the U.S. than Japanese plums (Prunus salicina). The widely grown, easy-to-maintain Damson plum (Prunus insititia) is often grouped with European plums, but botanists list it as a separate species. The American bush plum (Prunus Americana) and the Chickasaw plum (Prunus augustifolia) are the most widely grown of several native American plums, and they require pruning to keep their thorny branches under control.

European plums, hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 8, depending on cultivar, are more likely to be self-fertile than Japanese plums -- meaning you can plant most kinds by themselves and they will still bear plums. European plum trees will grow in most parts of the U.S. and typically tolerate more cold than Japanese plums. European plums stay on the tree longer than Japanese plums, and once you pick them, they last longer than the Japanese variety. A popular European plum, the golden-yellow Stanley plum (Prunus domestica "Stanley"), grows in USDA zones 5 through 7.

Japanese plums, hardy in USDA zones 4 to 10, depending on cultivar, typically require more fruit-thinning and pruning than European plums. Japanese plums almost always need a nearby Japanese, American or American hybrid plum tree to yield plums. Pay attention to your climate before planting a Japanese plum. They tolerate hot summers better than European plums, but they also bloom earlier and so are more susceptible to damage by late spring frosts. They don’t set plums well in climates that have damp, cold springs. An example is the Santa Rosa plum (Prunus salicina "Santa Rosa"), which grows in USDA zones 5 through 9.

Damson plum trees have a low, compact crown that makes the fruit easy to harvest, and they’re self-fertile, meaning a tree will yield plums if you plant it by itself. You can give a Damson tree little or no care and it will thrive. Damson trees yield heavy crops of juicy, purplish-blue plums that ripen from August through October. They grow in USDA zones 5 through 7, but need at least 800 hours of chill time at temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to bear fruit.

Native plums have thick crowns of thorny branches that grow into impenetrable thickets in the wild, and pruning them can be a difficult chore for the home gardener. They yield decorative blossoms in spring, but their plums are not the best choice for eating. American bush plums (Prunus americana), hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8, have short trunks that bear a mass of slender, thorny branches. They're grown both for their bright red plums and their showy clusters of fragrant white flowers that appear before the leaves in spring. The plums have tough, thick skins and flat stones. You can eat them fresh, but they're more often made into preserves and jams. Another widely grown native plum, the Chickasaw plum (Prunus augustifolia), also called sand plum, has a similar short trunk and thorny branches. Immature Chickasaw plums, about 1/2 inch wide, are red but turn yellow as they ripen. These plums are favorites of wildlife and can be eaten fresh, but are more often used for jams and preserves. Chickasaw plums will grow in USDA zones 6 through 9.