Plums are very well adapted to our Florida climate. Many areas of North Florida still have old thickets of plums growing in the wild. The ones we offer here are large, high quality fruits like you'll find in your finest fruit markets. Plums come in a wild array of flavors, shapes, sizes and colors. In the South, by carefully choosing varieties that ripen at different times, it's possible to have ripe homegrown plums all summer long. We're also adding some ornamental plums for folks that want the flowers and foliage, but not the fruit.

Plums need good cross-pollination. Even plums that are considered self-pollinating will bear larger and more consistent fruit crops with a pollinator. Remember that who pollinates who depends on your chill hours. If you are uncertain about your chill hours, contact your County Cooperative Extension Agent or check out the University of Florida IFAS chill hours map by clicking here.

Plum Good Varieties (Prunus spp.)

AU PRODUCER PLUM Named appropriately for its heavy crops, which may appear as early as its second year. Dark red-skinned plums with juicy sweet red flesh are excellent for fresh eating as well as cooking and canning. Ripens mid-late June. Highly tolerant of leaf scald. Needs pollinator. Zones 5-8. $27.99 3gal(4-5ft).

AU ROSA PLUM AU is for Auburn University, and they've developed a great series of plums. This one is ranked highest in the series for resistance to bacterial spot, black knot, scald and brown rot. Firm dark red fruit with juicy yellow flesh have excellent flavor for fresh eating or for cooking. Vigorous, productive trees. Ripens late June. Needs pollinator. Zones 5-8. $27.99 3gal(4-5ft).

AU RUBRUM PLUM A Methley hybrid, Rubrum is a long-lived tree with high disease resistance and reliably heavy crops. Profusely flowering in the spring (think stunning edible ornamental!), Rubrum serves well as a pollinator for other varieties. Dark red skin, juicy red flesh. Ripens about mid-June. Semi-self fertile, best with pollinator. Zones 5-8. $27.99 3gal(4-5ft).

BLACK RUBY Reddish black skin with a sweet yellow flesh. Needs a pollinator. Ripens early July. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

BRUCE One of the toughest Plum trees-- a Chickasaw-Japanese plum hybrid. Flavor is tops! A frost-hardy tree, ideal for low areas. Semi-dwarf, weeping habit. Sunset orange fruit with a sweet mellow flavor. Needs a pollinator. Ripens late May-June. Zones 8B-9. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

BYRONGOLD Finally a yellow plum of high quality! To quote the United States Department of Agriculture, "Byrongold meets or exceeds all current expectations for tree vigor, productivity, precocity, and resistance to the bacterial and fungal diseases that are common in the Southeastern United States." Byrongold's fruit is a winner, too! Large , over 2 inches in diameter, and round, it's bright yellow on the outside with a golden-yellow flesh that's deliciously crispy. Needs a pollinator. Ripens late June to early July. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

CHICKASAW PLUM A true edible ornamental, thickets of native Chickasaw plum are a welcome sight to bears, raccoons, foxes, deer, man, and other wildlife. They provide abundant crops of small bright red plums that ripen to yellow and make delicious jelly. In the early spring, while other deciduous trees are still dormant, Chickasaws announce their presence with stunning clouds of tiny pure white fragrant flowers. Drought tolerant once established. Zones 6-9. $27.99 3gal(4-5ft).

GUTHRIE An improved Chickasaw plum that doesn't sucker and is highly disease resistant. This new variety is yellow-skinned with a tangy, sweet yellow flesh. Fruit is 1 1/2 inches across and makes a fabulous jelly. A good choice for growers who have problems with pollination. Ripens mid-June. Zones 8-9. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

IMPROVED METHLEY A great improvement on a wonderful old standby. This new variety is a purple-skinned plum with a sweet , soft, melting amber flesh. The very best pollinator for other varieties. We highly recommend buying this as your first plum variety. Ripens mid-June. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

ROBUSTO New plum with wild plum in its breeding to make it tough and disease resistant. This new variety has a bronze-red skin and red flesh coupled with a great flavor. Clingstone. Needs a pollinator. Ripens early June. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

RUBY QUEEN PLUM A two-inch round, dark reddish-black skinned plum with delicious firm sweet red flesh, Ruby Queen will extend your fruit season into mid-July, as it is one of the rare late-ripening plums. In addition, it is well-adapted to the high humidity of our southeastern climate. Needs pollinator (blooms with Methley). Zones 5-9A. $27.99 3gal(4-5ft).

RUBY SWEET This great variety has a bronze-red skin and dark red flesh coupled with a sweet rich flavor. Needs a pollinator. Ripens mid June. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft). Not available 2007.

SANTA ROSA Purple-red skin and yellow-red flesh coupled with a tangy, sweet flavor. Needs a pollinator. Ripens early June. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

SEGUNDO Another new plum with wild plum in its breeding to make it tough and disease resistant. This new variety has a red skin and orange-red flesh coupled with a great flavor. Clingstone. Needs a pollinator. Ripens mid June. Zone 8. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

TROPICAL PLUMS (Low Chill for Zones 8B-9)

You'll love these super low chill plums if you live in South Florida or anywhere in Zones 8B-9. They also work well in North Florida (Zone 8B) because along with a low chill requirement, they have a high heat requirement to initiate flowering (a heat unit is sort of the opposite of chill units-- just take our word for it). All pollinate each other (but cannot be pollinated with our other low chill plums).

GULF BEAUTY Still another University of Florida patented release (USPP 11224). Richly sweet, small, red fruit. Heavy producer with excellent flavor. Needs a Gulf series pollinator. 250 chill hours. Ripens early May. Zones 8B-9. $29.99 3 gal (4-5ft). Available in Fall 2008.

GULF BLAZE Patented University of Florida release (USPP 10880). Medium-sized, deep ruby-red fruit with yellow-red center. Excellent flavor. Needs a Gulf series pollinator. 250 chill hours. Ripens early to mid-May. Zones 8B-9. $29.99 3 gal (4-5ft). Available in Fall 2008.

GULF ROSE Another University of Florida patented release (USPP 12833). Heavy crops of medium-sized fruit. Rich flavor, rose center. About as beautiful as a plum can get! Needs a Gulf series pollinator. 275 chill hours. Ripens early May. Zones 8B-9. $29.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

KRAUTER VESUVIUS (Prunus cerasifera) The darkest of the purple-leafed plums. Topping out at 8-10 feet, the tree is vase-shaped and easy to grow. Small pink flowers in spring. Drought tolerant once established and has its best color in full sun. South to Zone 9. $27.99 3 gal (4-5ft).

Just the Facts
Not sure what to do with peaches, plums and nectarines or how to grow them right? DON'T PANIC! Push the panic button and we will give you "Just the Facts" you need to successfully grow them.

Are we out of what you are looking for? Email us at Justfruits@hotmail.com and we'll put you on the "Call When Available" list. We will call you!

Please come to see us if you can (Wednesday to Sunday, 9:05-5:08). We are located 19 miles south of Tallahassee, just off US Highway 98, 1 mile east of the intersection with US Highway 319 (South of Crawfordville center and actually in the village of Medart). If you need further directions, feel free to call us at 1-850-926-5644 or enter 30 St. Frances St. Crawforville FL 32327 (or Just Fruits Nursery) into Google Maps ( CLICK HERE).