×2Wildlife
- Feeds birds
- Pollinators
- Small mammals
- Shelter & nesting
Early flowers feed bees and other pollinators, and the fruit and thickets feed and shelter birds and small mammals.
Ships bare root
Native
Mature plant shown. Yours ships dormant and bare root.
What arrives
1 dormant bare-root plant, about 2–3 ft tall
- No leaves, no pot, no soil. Roots packed moist.
- Ships in your zone's planting window.
- Leafs out about 4–8 weeks after planting.
Native tree · edible
American Plum
Prunus americana
- Ships 2–3 ft tall
- 1 plant, bare root
- Zones 3–8
- Grows 15–25 ft
$11.95Was $14.95Save 20%
5.0 out of 5 · 1 reviewsThe quick answer
American plum is a hardy native fruit tree for USDA zones 3-8 that grows 15-25 ft tall and wide in full sun to part shade. It is bought for its sweet-tart red to yellow plums, used fresh or for jam, and for wildlife thickets. Plant two seedlings for good cross-pollination; trees typically start fruiting in 3-5 years.
When it ships to you
Zone scheduleHow many?
This plant needs a partner. American plum crops far better with cross-pollination, so plant at least two American plum seedlings within about 50 ft of each other.
Expert recommendedPollination partners we sell
-
×2Plant 2 American PlumEach seedling is genetically different, so two or more pollinate each other.
Planting a hedge or row?
Free shipping on orders $75+$75
Healthy deliveryOr we replace it
Shipped dormantTimed to your zone
1-year warrantyStore credit, terms
American Plum plant profile
Mature size15–25 ft tall · 15–25 ft wide
Typical (15 ft)Up to 25 ft
Small tree or large shrub with a broad, spreading crown; suckers to form thickets.
USDA hardiness zones3–8
Sun & growth
SlowMediumFast
Full sun for best fruiting; tolerates part shade. Fruit in about 3–5 years.
SoilpH 5.5–7.5
4 acidic6.59 alkaline
Prefers moist, well-drained soil but tolerates clay, dry and alkaline sites.
Native to the USEdible harvestPlant two or moreYellow-orange to red fall colorWindbreak
Flowers & fruit
- Fruit in 3–5 yrs
- Edible
Fragrant white flowers open in early spring before the leaves, followed by 1-inch red to yellow plums in mid to late summer.
Leaves & fall color
Yellow-orange to red in fall. Oval, toothed green leaves turn yellow-orange to red in fall.
Pests & disease
Black knot, plum curculio and brown rot can affect plants; remove black knot galls in winter.
Pruning
Prune in late winter to remove dead or crossing branches and unwanted suckers.
Pollination
One American Plum won't give you much of a crop. Two will.
Insect-pollinated; plant two or more American plum seedlings for reliable fruit set. Shipping on one plant is $9.95 and on two it's $10.95, so the second plant adds just $1 in shipping.
Bare root vs potted
Skip the garden-center markup.
Garden centers buy young plants, pot them, grow them another season and mark them up. We ship yours dormant and bare root, timed to your planting window.
Bare root, from us$11.95ships dormant
Example: 3-gal potted American hazelnut$70–$140online retail prices checked Oct 2026
A year with your American Plum
SPRINGFragrant white flowers before the leaves
SUMMERGreen fruit sizes up
LATE SUMMERRed to yellow plums ripen in July-August
FALLYellow-orange to red leaves
Questions people ask about American Plum
Do I need two American plum trees for fruit?
Plant at least two; American plum sets far more fruit when another American plum seedling is close by for cross-pollination.
How big does an American plum tree get?
It grows 15-25 ft tall and about as wide, and it suckers to form a thicket unless suckers are removed.
Are wild American plums good to eat?
Yes. The 1-inch plums are sweet-tart and are often used for jam, jelly and preserves as well as fresh eating.
Does American plum spread by suckers?
Yes. It suckers freely, so mow or prune out suckers if you want a single tree rather than a thicket.
How is the plum tree shipped?
It arrives as a dormant bare-root tree about 2-3 ft tall, ready to plant in early spring or late fall.
Plant it in 4 steps
- Soak the roots in cold water overnight before planting.
- Dig twice as wide as the roots; plant at the depth it grew.
- Water, then mulch. No fertilizer the first season.
- Plant its partner nearby.
Customer Reviews
Based on 1 review
100%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
M
My plum trees arrived looking great. I transplanted them into buckets to get a little stronger and bigger before I plant them on our property. Thanks for the great customer service.
Plant facts checked October 2026 against: Morton Arboretum, NC State Extension, https://dnr.state.md.us/forests/Documents/Agroforestry_Pollination-Propagation-Pruning.pdf, https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=747527.