Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
2.5–4 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | White | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | Yellow | ||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Prunus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with showy flowers in spring, and often good autumn foliage colour. Some have edible fruit in autumn, and a few species have ornamental bark
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in moist, but well-drained soil in full sun, ideally with a pH of between 6 and 6.5. Suitable for all training forms including fan-trained. Keep a weed-free area of at least 60cm radius around trunk. Thin fruit if necessary. Irrigate in dry periods
Propagation
Propagate by chip budding or grafting onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock used will largely determine the vigour of the tree
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- City and courtyard gardens
- Wildlife gardens
- Edible fruit
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Regular pruning required according to tree form: see pruning plums or pruning established fans
Pests
Can suffer from plum aphid, caterpillars, fruit tree red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth and bullfinches
Diseases
May be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.