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Fruit tree

Plum (European and Japanese)

Prunus domestica (European) and Prunus salicina (Japanese) · also Plum, Prune plum, Japanese plum, European plum

A tough, productive stone fruit that does well across Adelaide, with Japanese plums ripening in summer and European plums in late summer and autumn. Japanese plums need less winter chill and suit the plains best. Many varieties need a pollination partner of the same group, so check before you buy.

When to plant where you live

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Add plum (european and japanese) to my garden

Planting times for other areas

Varieties (4)

  • d'AgenEuropean prune plum for drying; self-fertile
  • PresidentEuropean plum with large purple fruit in late summer to autumn; best in the Hills
  • Santa RosaJapanese plum, partly self-fertile and a good pollinator for other Japanese plums
  • SatsumaJapanese blood plum with red flesh; needs a Japanese pollinator such as Santa Rosa

Neighbours

Grows well with

From seed to plate

  1. Plant

    450 cm apart. Full sun.

  2. Water

    Deep water weekly from spring to harvest.

  3. Feed

    Compost and a balanced fruit tree feed in late winter.

  4. Pick

    Pick when fully coloured and slightly soft; European plums for drying can hang longer.

Good to know

  • Japanese plums (around 400 to 600 chill hours) suit the Adelaide plains; European plums need more chill and crop better in the Hills
  • Japanese plums pollinate Japanese plums and European pollinate European; a double-grafted tree saves space
  • Thin Japanese plums heavily; European plums usually need little thinning
  • Plant bare-rooted in winter in free-draining soil

Common problems

  • Brown rot (fruit rots on the tree)remove mummified fruit, thin crowded fruit and prune for airflow
  • Pear and cherry slug (slimy black larvae skeletonising leaves): hose off or dust leaves with fine ash or lime
  • Fruit flypick ripe fruit promptly, destroy fallen fruit and follow current SA biosecurity guidance if outbreaks are declared in your area
  • Birdsnet trees from fruit set on a frame
  • Gummosis and silver leafprune in dry weather in late summer or autumn, not in wet winter weather

If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.

Ask the garden helper about plum (european and japanese)Any question, answered from the plant libraryHow others are growing plum (european and japanese)Questions, tips and harvests from the community

Guides

Wildlife

Good for: bees.

Where this information comes from

Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 29 Oct 2026. Version 1.