American Plum Tree Facts

Native to North America, the deciduous American plum tree (Prunus americana) is shrubby with multiple trunks and thorny branches, and yields edible fruits. It is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3b through 8.

The American plum, or common wild plum, usually grows 15 to 20 tall and 12 to 18 feet wide but grows taller in the southern part of its range and shorter in its colder, more northern range. Its short, crooked trunk with scaly, black bark supports numerous, spreading, thorny branches and a broad crown. It’s possible to prune the tree so that it grows with one trunk. The tree grows rapidly, up to 24 or more inches per year until maturity.

The fragrant, showy, white flowers of American plum appear in flat-topped clusters in spring before the leaves. The tree's 1/2- to 1-inch-wide fruits, which were widely fancied by American Indians and are used to make jelly, ripen from yellow to bright, shiny red then purple in late summer. Although the tree will grow in shade, it needs full-sun exposure to yield fruits. Plum fruits growing on trees in the wild in the western United States are sweeter than those growing in the East. A mature plum tree can yield 100 to 150 pounds of fruits annually.

Although new American plum trees will grow from seeds, an American plum spreads mainly by the suckers that sprout from its roots, which can extend up to 10 feet from its base. Remove suckers to prevent the tree from become invasive. American plum grows naturally in thickets on the American prairie and is often found on disturbed agricultural sites and beside rural roads. It resists drought, its roots hold the soil well, making it effective for erosion control, and it is habitat for wildlife. Butterflies are attracted to its blossoms. Birds and small animals eat its fruits.

Best planted 36 to 60 inches apart, American plums often flank entrance roads leading to commercial buildings. They are also planted on median strips of streets, along the edges of patios and in borders of back yards. They are used in landscapes featuring native plants, too.

An American plum sapling from a plant nursery should have its roots soaked in water for one hour before the tree is planted in the ground. A sapling suitable for planting should be at least 2 years old.

Before sowing a seed, remove fruit pulp from the seed, and store the seed for six months in a refrigerator. Sow the seed outdoors under 1 to 2 inches of soil after your location's last average annual spring frost date. Moisten the soil, and tamp it in place over the seed. Cover the soil surface with a 2- to 4-inch layer of organic mulch. Organic mulch helps the soil retain moisture and keeps it cool in summer and warm in winter.