Bring natural beauty and delicious harvests to your home garden with the American Plum Tree, a native North American fruiting shrub or small tree. Prunus americana produces abundant clusters of fragrant white flowers in early spring, followed by juicy red to purple fruits that are perfect for fresh eating, preserves, or wine-making.
This adaptable and resilient plant thrives in a wide range of climates and soil types. It’s also a pollinator favorite, drawing bees and butterflies, and its fruit provides food for birds and wildlife. The American Plum is ideal for hedgerows, orchards, and naturalized landscapes, offering ornamental beauty and a reliable harvest each year.
Features
- 🌸 Beautiful White Blooms: Fragrant clusters appear in early spring.
- 🍑 Tasty Red-Purple Plums: Great for fresh eating, jams, and jellies.
- 🌳 Versatile Growth Habit: Grows as a large shrub or small tree.
- 🐝 Pollinator Friendly: Attracts bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
- 🌿 Hardy Native Species: Excellent for cold climates and wildlife habitats.
- 🌱 Non-GMO & Untreated Seeds: Naturally grown and ready to plant.
Specifications
- Common Name: American Plum Tree
- Scientific Name: Prunus americana
- Plant Type: Deciduous tree/shrub
- Zones: USDA 3–8
- Mature Height: 10–25 ft
- Spread: 10–20 ft
- Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
- Light Requirement: Full sun to partial shade
- Soil Type: Well-drained loam, clay, or sandy soil
- Soil pH: 5.5–7.5
- Watering: Moderate; prefers consistent moisture
- Temperature Range: -40°F to 95°F (-40°C to 35°C)
- Bloom Season: Early to mid-spring
- Fruit Season: Late summer to early fall
- Germination Time: 2–4 months (requires stratification)
- Pollination: Requires cross-pollination for best fruit yield
- GMO Status: 100% Non-GMO
- Uses: Edible fruit, wildlife planting, hedgerows, and ornamental use
Planting Guide
- Cold Stratify: Mix seeds with moist sand and refrigerate for 90–120 days.
- Sow Indoors: After stratification, plant seeds ½ inch deep in seed-starting mix.
- Light & Temperature: Keep in a bright, warm area (65–75°F / 18–24°C).
- Transplanting: Move seedlings outdoors after frost has passed.
- Spacing: 12–20 feet apart for trees, 6–8 feet for hedgerows.
- Watering: Keep soil moist during the first year of growth.
- Care: Prune annually to shape and encourage fruiting.
Care Tips
- Apply organic mulch to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
- Fertilize in early spring with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer.
- Protect young plants from deer and rodents.
- For best fruiting, plant more than one plum tree for cross-pollination.
- Excellent for naturalized areas, home orchards, and edible landscaping.
