Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
What Pollinates a Bruce Plum Tree?
Pollinators move pollen from flower to flower, while pollenizers are the sources of pollen. For 'Bruce' plum trees, choose 'Methley' or a Chickasaw plum.
In the botanical world of the birds and bees, some plum trees (Prunus spp.) need only a pollinator to help them set fruit, while other plum trees need both a pollinator and a pollenizer. 'Bruce' plum trees (Prunus salicina 'Bruce') need both to successfully bear fruit.
These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are distinctly different:
Pollinators are agents that transfer pollen grains from male flowers to female flowers, such as birds and insects.
Pollenizers are plants that lend their pollen to other plants for cross-fertilization.
Tip
Most plum trees are perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9.
'Bruce' Pollinators
The 'Bruce' plum tree, which grows in USDA zones 5 through 9, relies primarily on honeybees as pollinators, although other agents, including the wind may also pollinate its flowers.
'Bruce' Pollenizers
The 'Methley' plum tree (Prunus salicina 'Methley,' USDA zones 4 through 9) is the primary pollenizer for 'Bruce' plum trees.
Sand plum, also called Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia, USDA zones 5 through 9) is also a suitable pollenizer for 'Bruce' plum.
Tip
Plant pollenizers for 'Bruce' plum trees no further than 100 feet away.
