Common Plum belongs to the rose family and originates in Turkey and Europe, but is now only grown in cultivation. This plant typically grows as a large shrub or small tree up to 10-20 feet tall. It is a deciduous tree with showy white flowers and edible purple stone fruits. It may have some spines. Greengage and damson plums are subspecies of P. domestica . It is the latest blooming of the plums which makes it best for northern climates. It is primarily grown on the west coast and the Great Lakes area to make prunes due to its high sugar content. Most plums grown for the produce section of the supermarket are Japanese varieties. Cultivars of this plant have fruits available in purple, red and yellow. Grow in fertile moist well-drained soil in full sun and protect from chemical sprays. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: As with most of the Prunus genus, this tree has some insect and disease issues. Viral, fungal and bacterial diseases can affect the fruit and leaves. Also, powdery mildew, rusts and brown rot can appear. The codling moth is the main insect but webworms, mites and borers can affect it. More information on Prunus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Obovate
Leaf margin
Crenate; Serrate
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The simple green egg-shaped leaves are 2-4 inches long and 1-2 inches wide and are alternate on the stem. The base is wedge-shaped and the tip is pointed. The margins are serrated and the upper surface has hairs
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Showy white flowers with 5 petals and long stamens appear singly or in pairs in spring before leaf-out.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Edible; Showy
Fruit size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Fruit detail
The fleshy 2-3 inch drupe matures to blue or black and has 1 seed in it. Appears in September
Bark color
Dark Brown
Bark detail
Thin smooth bark on mature trees
Stem detail
Smooth and dark brown. Three or more overlapping scales on buds.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Turkey
Wildlife value
This is a larval host plant to Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). You may see three flights from February-November in the deep south and two flights from May-September in the north.