Plum Varieties for Northern Climates

Plum jelly made from Toka or Bubblegum plums.

Plum Varieties for Northern Climates

​Plum trees belong to the Prunus genus, as do other common fruits and nuts, including cherries, peaches, and almonds. There are three main types of domesticated plums available in the United States: European plums (Prunus domestica), Asian or Japanese plums (Prunus salicina), and crosses, such as the cherry plum, Asian and cherry plum crosses, plum and apricot (Prunus armeniaca) crosses, or European or Asian plums crossed with the wild American plum. The United States and Canada have native plum trees as well, the American or wild plum (Prunus americana) and the Canada or black plum (Prunus nigra). Both produce small, edible fruit and grow as small trees or large shrubs. Although the native plums are commonly known as American (zones 3-8) or Canada plums, they can both be found in the United States and Canada. There is one domesticated Canada plum available, known as Bounty Nigra plum. This tree produces small reddish clingstone plums with yellow flesh. This fruit is good for jams, tarts, fresh eating, chutneys, or infusing alcohol.

​Below, I give a brief description of the different types of plum trees and a chart of the most common varieties of each type, all of which are cold-hardy (most will grow in zones 4 or 5, but there are even a few that will grow in zone 3). Most of these plums also grow as far south as zones 8 or 9. Please note that many characteristics on the chart vary depending on the rootstock the tree is grafted onto, the weather conditions that year, or even microclimates within your zone. There are also many other possible pollinators than those listed. Cummins Nursery is a great resource to check for other pollination partners, as they have a very comprehensive list for each plum variety. If you have a favorite cold-hardy plum that is not on this list, please send me a message so I can add it. These charts are not comprehensive, as there are over 2,000 varieties of plums; therefore, I chose ones that are commonly available at several different nurseries.

European Plums

European plums (Prunus domestica), as their name suggests, originally came from Europe. They can be yellow, blue, or green in color with firm flesh. European plums tend to ripen in late summer. Many European plums are self-fertile but will set more fruit with a nearby pollinator tree. European plums need another European plum for pollination and will not cross-pollinate with an Asian plum. European plum trees generally grow to about 15 feet tall. European plums tend to be more cold-hardy than Asian plums.

Variety	Zones	Pollination	Best Usage	Fruit Ripens	Diseases	Notes
Autumn Sweet	5-8	Partly self-pollinating, but Stanley or NY9 will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, baking, canning, drying, and storage	Mid-September		Blue fruit with yellow flesh; stores 1-3 months
Bavay Gage or Bavay s Green Gage or Reine Claude de Bavay Gage	5-9	Self-pollinating, but other Gage varieties, Imperial, Seneca, Opal, or Italian will increase pollination	Fresh eating, dessert plum, cooking, canning, and preserving	Late September		Yellow-green fruit with yellow flesh; small, compact tree; seedling of Reine Claude
Blau de Belgique or Belgium Purple	5-9	Imperial, Opal, Purple Gage, and Seneca are good pollinators	Fresh eating	September		Purple plum with yellow flesh; semi-freestone
Bluefre or Bluefire	5-9	Self-pollinating but other European varieties will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, drying canning, and preserves	Mid-September	Very susceptible to black knot	Large, oval, dark blue fruit with yellow-green flesh; freestone; stores 2-4 weeks
Blues Jam	5-9	Partially self-pollinating, but another European plum, such as Jam Session or Kirke s Blue, will increase fruit production	Processing	September	Disease resistant	Damson-type plum; freestone; fruit can be astringent but freezing and thawing before processing reduces astringency and improves color
Brooks	4/5-9	Self-pollinating but another European plum such as Italian will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, canning, baking, drying, and preserves	Early September	Susceptible to bacterial canker	Dark blue fruit with green-yellow flesh; freestone; derived from Italian plum
Cambridge Gage	5-9	Partially self-pollinating but Rosy Gage, Purple Gage, Imperial Epineuse, or Opal will increase fruit production	Fresh eating and cooking	August-September		Green-yellow fruit with a red blush and green flesh;
Castleton	4-8	Stanley, NY9, Damson, Rosy Gage, or Longjohn are good pollinators	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, sauce, canning, or drying	Mid August	Some resistance to bacterial leaf spot and black knot; susceptible to brown rot, blossom blight, and fruit rot	Blue fruit with yellow-green flesh; semi-freestone; stores 1-3 months; similar to Stanley
Coe s Golden Drop	5-9	Another European plum such as Imperial Epineuse, Opal, Purple Gage, or Seneca is needed for pollination	Dessert plum	October		Golden fruit and flesh; freestone; apricot-like flavor
Damson or Blue Damson	4/5-8	Self-pollinating but Castleton, Empress, Victoria, Rosy Gage, Kenmore, and others can increase fruit production	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, baking, chutney, canning, freezing, and sauce	Mid-August	Resistant to black knot	Blue fruit with yellow flesh
Earliblue	4/5-8-	Self-pollinating but Damson, Mount Royal, Italian, or Stanley will increase fruit production	Drying but also fresh eating, baking, preserves, and canning	Late July		Blue-purple fruit with green-yellow flesh; freestone
Early Laxton	4/5-9	Partially self-pollinating, but another European plum, such as Imperial Epineuse, Opal, Purple Gage, or Seneca will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, cooking	August		Pink-orange fruit with yellow flesh; freestone; heavy bearer, must be thinned
Empress or Blue Imperatrice	5-7	Stanley, Vision, Victory, Moyer, President and Italian make good pollinators.	Drying, jam/jelly, baking, cooking, sauce, canning or soaking in brandy	Mid-late September		Dark blue-purple fruit with green-yellow flesh; stores 1-3 months in the cold but also lasts on the tree into late fall
Ersinger or German Prune	5-9	Imperial Epineuse, Opal or Purple Gage are good pollinators	Drying	August-September		Blue oblong fruit
French Prune	5-9	Self-pollinating	Drying, fresh eating, baking, and chutney			Purple fruit with red-yellow flesh
Geneva Mirabelle or Mirabelle 858	5	Mirabell de Nancy, Mirabelle de Metz, or Reine de Mirabelle are good pollinators; does not produce much pollen so not a good pollinator for other plums	Canning, compote, tarts, or wine	August		Yellow fruit with red specks and golden flesh; freestone
Gras Ameliorat	5-8	Most European plums are good pollinators	Fresh eating	Mid-September	Resistant to bacterial spot; susceptible to black knot	Purple fruit with yellow flesh
Golden Nectar	5-10	Self-pollinating	Dessert plum, fresh eating, and drying	Late summer		Yellow plum with yellow-red flesh; stores well
Golden Transparent	5-9/10	Self-pollinating	Dessert, preserves	Late September		Golden fruit with red dots and yellow flesh; gage-type plum
Gras Romanesc	5-8/9	Castleton, French Damson, Imperial Epineuse, Opal, Purple Gage, and Seneca are good pollinators	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, freezing, sauce, and canning	Mid-September		Blue skin with yellow flesh; clingstone; stores 1-3 months
Green Gage or Old Green Gage	5-8	Partly self-pollinating but Rosy Gage, Oullins Gage, Stanley or other European plum will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, freezing, canning, and baking	Early September	Very susceptible to brown rot, blossom blight, and fruit rot	Green skin with yellow flesh; stores less than 1 month
Imperial Epineuse Prune or Imperial Epineuse de Clairac or Imperial Prune	5-9	Castleton, Kenmore, Damson, Opal, Purple Gage, Rosy Gage, Seneca, Stanley or Victoria are good pollinators	Fresh eating, jam, drying, freezing, sauce, and baking	Late August - Mid September		Purple fruit with yellow flesh; freestone
Italian or Fellenberg	4/5-9	Self-pollinating but Damson, Earliblue, Imperial, Purple Gage, Opal, Seneca, Green Gage, or Stanley will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, drying, cooking, canning, baking, jam/jelly, and juice	August-September	Resistant to bacterial spot	Blue-purple fruit with yellow-green flesh; freestone; prone to overbearing so should be thinned
Jam Session or NY111	5-9	Partly self-pollinating but another European plum such as Kirke s Blue or Blues Jam will increase fruit production	Jam, sauce, preserves, tarts, and chutneys	September		Blue fruit with green-yellow flesh; freestone; Damson-type; less astringent than Blues Jam; thin fruit otherwise may bear biennially
Jefferson	5-10	Self-pollinating	Dessert plum	Early	Good disease resistance	Yellow fruit with orange flesh; likely a gage-type plum
Jubileum	5-9	Imperial, Opal, Purple Gage, or Seneca are good pollinators	Fresh eating or processing	August		Pink-purple fruit; similar to Victoria but ripens a week earlier and has larger fruit
Kirke s Blue	5-10	May be partly self-pollinating but another European plum such as Blues Jam or Jam Session will increase fruit production	Fresh eating and drying	August		Dark blue-purple fruit with green-yellow flesh
Longjohn or Long John	5-8	Partly self-pollinating, but Castleton, Imperial, Opal, Polly, Seneca, Stanley, or Victory will increase fruit production	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, sauce, canning, and baking	Early September	Resistant to bacterial spot, susceptible to bacterial canker	Dark blue-purple fruit with red-yellow flesh; stores 1-3 months; freestone
Mirabelle	5-9	Blue Damson and French Plum are good pollinators	Fresh eating, desserts, brandy, tarts, culinary uses, sauces	Mid-August and later		Yellow fruit; freestone
Mirabelle d Nancy	5-9	Pollinate with Reine de Mirabelle, Geneva Mirabelle, or Mirabell de Metz; not a good pollinator for other plums	Fresh eating, brandy, wine, desserts, pies, preserves, cooking, and sauce	August		Yellow fruit with yellow flesh; freestone
Mirabelle de Metz	5-9	Pollinate with Reine de Mirabelle, or Geneva Mirabelle	Preserves and baked goods	September		Yellow fruit
Moldavian	5-9	Italian, Imperial, Opal, and Seneca are good pollinators	Dessert plum, jellies, and tarts	August		Red-purple fruit with yellow flesh; freestone
Monsier Hatif de Montmorency	5-9	Self-pollinating		August		Purple fruit with yellow flesh; freestone
Mount Royal	3/4-9	Self-pollinating	Fresh eating, drying, baking, freezing, canning, chutneys, and preserves	Late Summer	Susceptible to black knot	Small, dark purple/blue fruit with green-yellow flesh; freestone
Muir Beauty Sugar Prune	5	Imperial, Opal, Purple Gage, Seneca	Fresh eating, drying, freezing, baking, or canning	Early season	Disease resistant	Purple-pink fruit with yellow flesh; freestone
NY9 or Kenmore	4/5-8	Self-pollinating, but Stanley, Castleton, Victoria, Empress, and Damson can increase fruit production	Dessert plum, fresh eating, jam/jelly, baking, canning, freezing, and sauce	Early September	Resistant to brown rot, blossom blight, fruit rot, and leaf spot; tolerant to European red mite	Freestone; dark purple/blue with yellow-green flesh; disease-resistant version of Stanley
Opal	3/5-9	NY9 or Victoria are good pollinators	Fresh eating, baking, freezing, and jam	July-Early August; ripens over 1-2 weeks		Red-purple fruit with yellow flesh; freestone; cross between Oullins Gage and Early Favorite; needs a warm sunny location to fully develop flavor
Oullins or Rene Claude de Oullins	4-9	Self-pollinating	Fresh eating	Late		White-yellow plum; a Gage-type plum
Parfume de September	5-9	Partially self-pollinating but another Mirabelle type plum is a good pollinator	Fresh eating	September		Small, yellow-orange fruit; a Mirabelle-type plum; ripens 2 weeks later than other Mirabelle plums and holds on the tree for 3 weeks
Pearl or Burbank Pearl	4-9	Late-blooming	Fresh eating and preserving	Mid-season		Golden-red fruit; a Gage-type plum similar to Reine Claude
Pozegaca or Hauszwetsche	5-9	Self-pollinating	Processing, preserves, and brandy	September-October		Blue fruit with green-red flesh; freestone
Prune D Ente 707	5-9		Fresh eating, drying, stewing, or jam/jelly	September		Purple-red fruit with yellow flesh
Purple Gage or Reine Claude Violette	5-9	Partially self-pollinating but Imperial, Opal, Seneca, or Stanley will increase fruit production	Dessert plum	August		Blue-purple fruit; freestone
Reine Claude Conducta or Reine Claude d Althan	5-8	Rosy Gage, Stanley, Oullins, and Polly are good pollinators	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, baking, freezing, and canning	Mid-August		Purple-pink fruit with yellow flesh; gage-type fruit; stores less than 1 month; freestone if fully ripe
Reine Claude Doree	5-9	Needs another European plum for pollination	Dessert plum, fresh eating, canning, or preserving	Late-season		Small fruit
Reine de Mirabelle	5	Needs another Mirabelle or Gage plum for pollination	Fresh eating or preserves	Late summer		Golden fruit; easier to grow than most Gage-type fruits; not a true Mirabelle plum; likely a cross between Reine Claude and French Mirabelle
Richards Early Italian or Early Italian	4-9	Self-pollinating but Stanley is a good pollinator to increase fruit production	Fresh eating, drying, baking, jam/jelly, and juice	Late August		Blue plum with green-yellow flesh; freestone
Rosy Gage	5-8/9	Vanette, Oullins, Reine Claude Conducta, Demonfort, Imperial, Purple Gage, Opal, Seneca, and Polly are good pollinators	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, baking, canning, and freezing	Late August-September	Susceptible to black knot, blossom blight, brown rot, and fruit rot	Rose-yellow fruit with yellow flesh; stores less than 1 month
Sanctus Hubertus	5-9	Imperial, Opal, Purple Gage, and Seneca	Cooking, tarts, and chutneys	July
Schoolhouse	5-9	Imperial, Opal, Purple Gage, or Seneca are good pollinators	Freezing, canning, drying	September		Yellow fruit; firm texture; may need thinning
Seneca	5-9	Imperial, Opal, Purple Gage, or Stanley are good pollinators	Canning, chutney	Early September		Large, purple/red fruit with reddish flesh;
Stanley	4/5-7	Self-pollinating but Damson, Earliblue, Green Gage, or Italian will increase fruit production	Cooking, fresh eating, canning, drying, and baking	Early September	Susceptible to black knot	Oval-shaped dark blue fruit with yellow flesh; freestone; one of the most popular European prune plums in the United States
Valor	5-8	Italian, Stanely, and Vanette are good pollinators	Fresh eating, baking, canning, freezing, jelly/jam, and sauce	Mid to Late September	Susceptible to black knot; resistant to bacterial spot	Blue fruit with yellow flesh; semi-freestone
Victoria	5-8	Self-fertile but will produce more fruit with another European plum as a pollinator such as Castleton, Damson, NY9, or Rosy Gage	Fresh eating, jam/jelly, baking, canning, and freezing	Mid to late August	Very susceptible to brown rot, blossom rot, and fruit rot	Red fruit with red flesh; stores less than 1 month; overly prolific and should be thinned

 

Asian Plums

Asian plums (Prunus salicina) are native to China, Japan, and Korea, and tend to be juicy, as they were designed for use in plum wine and plum sauce, which are common in Asian cultures. They were introduced into the United States via Japan in the late 1800s, and many were crossed by plant breeder Luther Burbank, including wild American plums (discussed in the “Plum Crossesâ€