PlantFiles: Japanese Plum
Prunus salicina 'Santa Rosa'

We planted one in summer 2006. It started fruiting the first spring. Very prolific tree - it will produce way more than your family can eat fresh - you will either need to preserve or give away the fruit. :) We get between 60 and 80 lbs a year from our tree, and the bulk ripens in about a two week period starting mid-June in our area. There are a few stragglers, but for two weeks you will need to pick daily.

I'm in coastal southern California and our winter lows rarely drop below 49 degrees in the winter. Even though the books say this variety needs 300-400 chill hours it will produce heavily in areas that get pretty much no chill.

It oversets fruit, but it self thins (they just fall off before mature) so it's not an issue.

No problems of note. I have to prune annually (winter and summer) to keep it in bounds (too near a path) and it is fine with that kind of treatment. I removed a major branch a couple of years ago - taking off a third of the tree and it healed over nicely - even if you need to do severe pruning it bounces right back.

Planted in Fall 2009, producing fruit in Spring 2011. I have about 11 baby plums. Doubt the birds/squirrels will share.

A beautiful tree, sculptural in appearance, especially with age. It has survived our severe winters (colder part of Zone 5), and provides a beautiful spring display, although fruiting can be off some years due to late spring frosts. When it does fruit, it is as spectacular as it is when in flower. More beautiful red plums than even a large family could possibly eat. I would not hesitate to plant this one again and again.

In our colder climate, the bloom stems seem to be shorter and the blossoms more 'bunched'

An over-bearing tree, in a good way!
My mailman hit my tree with his large round mirror last year, and about 70 baby plums fell off. I was devastated!

BUT the tree still had so much fruit I had to give it away.
The fruit is large, very sweet and so juicy you'll get it all over yourself!

This tree is a heavy fruiter, lots of plums in the 2 inch size range. Takes our Texas heat and dryness very well. I planted this tree in our back yard about 10 years ago at about 2 feet high. It bore fruit the next year. The only thing that I've done to this tree in 10 years is a light prunning in the winter. No water or fertilizer, and has produced fruit every year except this year (08), we had 3 " of snow on Easter this year while this tree was in full bloom. Go figure, Snow in Central Texas, especialy on easter.

Juicy, tangy, flavorful. Reddish-purple skin, amber flesh tinged red. Late June in Central Calif. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.