'Italian' is the standard variety. But 8'-12' is pretty small for any plum tree.

If you want to make a good jam, I'd go with damson plum. They are a bit tannic fresh though.
you're smart to choose European over Asian Plums- much better in our region and less prone to brown rot.

Yields rather light and intermittent on a Damson being grown on a Seattle site.

Thanks tallclover. I think I may go with that one. I had chosen Seneca but I think I'll put it on my dad's 5 acres since he has room to play around with a tree that may or may not fruit. Imperial Epinuse sounds like a winner. Thanks again.

What about pollinizer for Imperial Epineuse?
Tallclover, do you have one tree or you have some other for pollinizer?

My neighbor has an Italian Plum so I'm good for pollination. Seattle is filled with Italian plums.

Well it took me a while but I finally got my imperial epineuse plum tree from Raintree today. Tiny little bareroot tree! Put it in the ground just in time for a light Seattle rain.

Thanks for the help. It'll be a few years before I see fruit (it's maybe 3-4 feet tall once planted) but I'm sure it'll be worth the wait.

I guess this is a bit late, but I've got a Stanley plum grafted onto dwarfing rootstock that's the height you're looking for. I presume you can do the same thing with other cultivars to keep them small.

Mirabelle or Mirabelle de Metz, a very old French variety. While the fruit is small, it is abundant. Pretty, too: yellow, with small red spots. Best-flavored plum I have ever eaten. Raintree currently carries de Metz.

I know you said you are looking for a European variety, but if you are just looking for a plum that tastes good and stays small(er) I can recommend the variety "Hollywood".

It is a Japanese plum with leaves and flowers very much like the Thundercloud ornamental variety and has excellent sweet reddish fruits that ripen in September. I bought mine from the Hartmann nursery around 3 years ago and the tree is about 7 feet tall now and shows all signs of staying compact.

Here is a picture from the Hartmann nursery showing what the fruit and leaves look like:

http://www.hartmansfruitphotos.com/Trees/Plums/9331147_Xk5VLh#!i=624020915&k=DNFTc2H

I find that the leaves and fruit on my tree are redder than in the picture.

You are actually talking about 'Spencer Hollywood', a different kind from 'Hollywood'. 'Spencer Hollywood' is the "Hollywood" of general commerce at this time.

For an article on this cultivar from the world authority on purple-leaved plums ....

Here is a link that might be useful: Spencer Hollywood' Plum; Prunus 'Spencer Hollywood'

This post was edited by bboy on Mon, Apr 22, 13 at 1:14

How is your Imperial plum , it should be fruiting by now. Please come back let us know updating about your plum tree niroha. I planted one as well in North of Seattle but just one year old seem like fruiting better than Seneca plum and hopefully have a chance to taste both soon.