Plum Tree Guide

Despatch & Planting

We despatch all year round, usually within 3-5 working days of receipt. Trees are supplied bare-root Autumn-Spring and in containers/ex container from late Spring to Autumn.

Cropping time & yield is an estimate and can vary with conditions. Yield estimates based on mature trees.

View Our Plum Trees

Dwarfing Plum Rootstock ‘Pixy’

The smallest rootstock for Plums, Gages & Damsons. Easily kept to 6-8’ in height and with a similar spread, suitable for small gardens, border, 20” container or growing in a lawn. The most precocious rootstock for these fruits [i.e earlier into fruit] and generally easy to maintain and harvest, no ladders required!

Crops 1-2 years from planting.

YIELD ESTIMATE 25-35ibs’s from a required area of 7×7’ approx. [less when grown in a container]

Vigorous Plum Rootstock St Julien ‘A’

This is the stock most often used for traditional orchard planting these days. It grows into a half standard tree of up to 12-14’ high, the spread is slightly less so plant not less than 12’ apart. Can be mown beneath with ease, better stock for poorer soils.

YIELD ESTIMATE 40-60ibs with a required minimum area of 10×10’.

Half Standard Plum Tree

is a tree on the St Julien ‘A’ stock but it is a year older when it comes to you. Conversely this does not necessarily mean it will fruit more quickly because being older it will often receive a bit of a ‘check’ after planting, but it will be a more substantial looking tree on planting and it will already have a trunk clearance.

Crops usually 2-3 years after planting.

YIELD ESTIMATE 40-60ibs from a required area of 10-10’ minimum.

Fan Plum Trees

Often sought for wall planting as they grow flat. A fan has an outline rather like a dove tail,  Plant 6-8’ apart. Height is the same on maturity. We use St Julien A stock for trees for fan training, Pixy is less suited to making a fan tree.

Crops 2-3 years after planting.

YIELD ESTIMATE 20ibs+.

Stepover Plum Tree

Is the very smallest of all trees. It has a very short trunk of barely 18” with two laterals which grow flat at the top, in a shape rather like a capital ‘T’ Stepover trees are usually used for edging a border or lawn, and whilst crops are usually quite light the fruits produced are large and well flavoured because they receive nearly all the available sunlight. A setpover can also be grown against a low wall which would otherwise be too short for a traditional fan or espalier tree – under a window for example. Although very short, stepovers do spread length-ways a bit so allow 5-6’ between trees.

Crops 1-2 years after planting.

YIELD ESTIMATE 2-4ib’s from a required area of 72×18”.

Supercolumn Plum Trees

Are the most convenient and easy to prune trees for smaller gardens or where an intensive growing system is required. Supercolumns allow for a wide variety to be planted in a small area and have many applications around the garden. Plant just 2’ apart, in a row as free standing trees, or to align a path or walkway. They can be grown in 18” containers, or used against archway or pergola. The growth is upright and slender, the fruits are borne all up the stem. Very easy to maintain and recommended to beginner and more experienced alike. The height is controllable but 6-8’ is usual.

Crops often the first year, or 1-2 years after planting.

YIELD ESTIMATE 4-8ibs from a required area of 24×24”.