Plum tree
Prunus domestica · Rosaceae
📷 YAMAMAYA · CC BY-SA 3.0
⚠️ Feuilles, tiges et noyaux ou graines mâchés contiennent des glycosides cyanogènes ; le risque dépend de la partie et de la quantité ingérées. Pour les espèces fruitières, la chair mûre dénoyautée est généralement sans danger.
The gardener's calendar
It's peak harvest for plum tree: pick regularly and at the right stage to boost production and extend the season.
ID card
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Flowering
- March to April
- Adult size
- 3 to 4 m in height
- Growth
- Moderate
- Hardiness
- Very hardy (down to -20°C)
- Origin
- Caucasus Asia
- Soil type
- Well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral
- Fruiting
- August to September
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Mirabelle blooms on last year's wood: prune lightly after flowering (May) to encourage good branching, avoid autumn and winter. A rejuvenation pruning every 3-4 years maintains fruiting.
The common mistake
Severe winter pruning: you remove the flower buds and fruiting collapses the following year.
The pro's trick
After harvest (August), remove branches that have fruited and are weakening: this rejuvenates the crown and concentrates sap on young productive branches.
Care
Watering
Your plum tree appreciates regular watering, especially during summer droughts and after planting. Install a drip irrigation system or mulch the base to maintain consistent moisture without waterlogging. Gradually reduce watering in autumn to prepare the tree for winter dormancy.
Exposure
Your plum tree needs full sun (at least 6 to 8 hours per day) for abundant flowering and quality fruiting. Plant it in an open space, sheltered from strong winds that could damage the flowers in early season.
Pruning and shaping
Prune in late winter (February-March), before growth begins. Remove dead, crossing, or poorly oriented branches and open up the center of the canopy to encourage light penetration. Lightly reduce long branches to maintain balanced shape and facilitate harvesting.
Fertilizing
Your plum tree requires little fertilizer if planted in rich soil. An annual application of well-decomposed compost in spring is generally sufficient. You can supplement with balanced fertilizer during flowering if the soil proves poor.
Soil preparation
Your plum tree adapts to most soils but prefers well-drained substrate to prevent root rot. Enrich the planting hole with compost or horticultural peat. Ensure the pH is not too acidic and correct it if necessary with lime.
Health and pests
Your plum tree may be affected by peach leaf curl, scab, or certain pests (aphids, mites). Watch for curled or deformed leaves and act early. Good maintenance, open pruning, and adequate drainage limit the development of fungal diseases.
Did you know?
The plum tree has been cultivated for over 3,000 years and is one of the oldest fruit trees domesticated by humans. Dried plums, called prunes, were already a prized nutritious treasure among Oriental merchants in the Middle Ages, and this practice continues today, particularly in California and southwestern France.
Where to buy it
Best planted in autumn so the roots settle in before summer, or in early spring once the frost has passed. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, October, November.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- Apple treeMalus domestica
- Cherry treePrunus avium
- BlackthornPrunus spinosa
- Salad burnetPoterium sanguisorba
- Bird cherryPrunus padus
- BrambleRubus fruticosus
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.