Bubblegum 'Toka' Plum Tree

It depends on the type. European plums, like Italian and Green Gage, and most apricots set fruit with their own pollen, and a second variety of the same kind nearby raises the crop. Japanese and hybrid plums, like Shiro, Burbank and Superior, need a compatible Japanese or hybrid partner that blooms at the same time, within about 50 to 100 feet. Bubblegum (Toka) is the most recommended partner for hybrids. European and Japanese plums can't pollinate each other, and that's true for the limbs of a multi-variety plum too.

A plum tree reaches about 12 to 15 feet on a dwarfing rootstock, and about 15 to 18 on a standard one. Our apricots grow to about 10 to 20 feet, depending on the variety. This page lists the size for this tree. Summer pruning and light fertilizing help keep a tree smaller.

Check the USDA hardiness zones listed on this page, and look up your zone by ZIP code. Your zone is set by how cold your winters get. Fruit trees also need enough winter chill, the cool hours between about 32 and 45°F, to bloom well. Where winters are mild, ask your county Extension office which varieties fruit there.

In our experience, plums start bearing in about 2 to 4 years, and apricots in about 2 to 5, though climate makes a difference. A few years with leaves and no fruit is normal. If it flowers in its first year or two, pick off the flowers so the tree puts its energy into growth.

A healthy tree recovers from a late frost, but its flowers may not. Apricots and plums bloom early, and temperatures below about 29°F at bloom can cost you that year's fruit. Plant it away from low spots where cold air settles, and not tight against a south or west wall, where trapped heat pushes an early bloom.

We recommend planting it in the ground, where the roots have room and stay warmer through winter. A pot can work, but it's best if you have some experience, or don't mind less-than-ideal results while you learn. A tree in a pot needs much more care: more watering, and the nutrients it would otherwise pull from the ground. Every few years, prune the roots and change the soil, or move it up a pot size. Expect more ornamental value than a large harvest: a tree in a pot will fruit, but not as much as one in the ground. In the ground, pick a sunny, well-drained spot.

A little clear gum at a pruning cut or a bark wound is common on stone fruit, and it's usually harmless. Dark or milky ooze, gum mixed with sawdust near the base of the trunk, or sunken bark can mean borers or a canker. If you see those, send us a photo. Keep mowers and trimmers away from the trunk. A copper spray can help, especially while the tree is dormant in winter.

It depends on when it ships. In the dormant season, while trees rest over winter, it arrives bare root: no leaves, no soil, and roots wrapped in a damp packing mix. That's what a healthy dormant tree looks like. When it's actively growing, the same tree ships potted and in leaf. Our fruit trees ship at about two years old and 3 to 4 feet tall. If the roots are dry or mushy, or anything looks damaged, contact us that day with photos.

Most bare root trees planted in spring show new growth within a few weeks. Some take longer, especially after a cold spring, and a tree planted in fall waits for spring. Fall planting works best where winters are mild, generally zones 7 through 9. Every region has its own climate and microclimates, and plum and apricot varieties vary widely in when they first break bud in spring. To check on your tree, scrape a tiny patch of bark near the top with your thumbnail: green underneath means it's alive. If it's been 45 days since spring planting with no new growth, or 30 to 45 days since other plum and apricot trees in your area leafed out, please contact us.

Keep the roots cool and damp, out of sun and wind, and keep the tree shaded and as cool as possible. Plant within a couple of days if you can. In cold storage at about 37°F, a dormant tree keeps for months without harm, as long as you water the roots now and then. Without cold storage, heel it in for a longer wait: lay it in a shallow trench and cover the roots with soil.