With fruit trees, it is the number of chill hours required that determine if that variety is good for your location. Chill hours are the number of hours that maintain a temperature between 45F and 32F during the winter. If there are inadequate chill hours, the tree will not flower and fruit properly and can decline in vigor.

If you have more than 300 chill hours (and ideally closer to 400), then Santa Rosa is a good choice. Most plums require at least 500. It is self fertile so no need for 2 different plums, it produces at a young age and the fruit is considered excellent - sweet-tart and very juicy.

Thanks, I do understand the chill hours requirements, and I came across some varieties that stated less than 300 - I think one was called 'Mariposa'? I see varying hours listed for Santa Rosa, and I'm not sure if we'll even get 300 hours @ 45F or less these days. Our winters have been so warm for years now.

Also, the lower chill hour requiring varieties were on one of those hinky looking sites that I just don't trust.

I do have a Chickasaw plum tree, it's never fruited tho, and I'm not sure if bloom time would be compatible either.

This is why I'm hesitating 😏

Hi Carol, if you don't have any luck finding the right variety of plum maybe you might consider a Persimmon if you don't have it already. I just planted 2 very recently and the Fuyu variety only requires 100 plus chilling hours, like you it seems we are getting less and less temps below 45 degrees in the winter so I'm looking for something that will fruit but not have to protect during our occasional freeze or frost we get here in Zone 9b...I lost all my mango blooms this year due to one morning of 27-30 degrees for several hours. From most of the research I've done the Persimmon goes dormant about 5-6 months and won't need protection in the winter which for me is a plus. Also the fruit supposes ripens in Fall when most summer fruits are gone.

Good luck with your Plum tree hunting, it took me a long time to finally find my Persimmon trees so I know what it's like when you are on the hunt for a particular tree and variety...

Thanks for the suggestions, all 🙂

Unfortunately I don't much care for persimmons, but I've loved plums ever since I was little.

Phooey - MailOrderNatives.com is out of stock on all their plums, but thank you very much for the recommendation. I've bookmarked their site.

This wildlife nursery may have a plum for your climate. They are located near me in Tuskegee, AL.

The Wildlife Group

(This is an old post but the nursery is active)

On a side note, i have sampled the 'AU roadside plum' and it is small but tasty. Someone left a bucket of them in the office breakroom. Quite full of flavor although not large like the grocery store plums. Bigger than the Chickasaw plums.

I'm sure the name is derived from the local university, Auburn. They have a good reputation in their hort dept.

Typically in those areas where much growing of them is possible USDA Cooperative Extension Service offices have lots of research-based information about orchard fruits, try the web site of the regional location covering your part of Florida and seeing what they have. In my area for instance there is a research station in the next county to the north where orchard fruit variety trials have been conducted in the past, publications generated based on the resulting findings. And an enthusiast group is continuing to maintain a fruit demonstration garden on the same property.

We do have a county extension office with great demo gardens, but they don't usually sell anything, AFAIK. I've definitely spent a lot of time researching our Ag extension resources online.

Nearest large scale plant sales that I know of happen a couple of times yearly @ USF in Tampa - more than an hour away from here.

I am on the committee for our city's Arbor Day/Earth Day festival, and that's often where I get natives and Florida friendly plants for great prices. That's where I bought the chickasaw plum - it was only a few dollars. Wish I'd gotten 2, since they didn't have any last year, and of course the festival was on hold for 2 years during the pandemic shutdowns.

BTW, my little tree is budding and a few blooms have opened - that's not supposed to be happening this time of year!

I wasn't talking about where to buy, I was talking about a way to find out what to buy.

Not as odd as you would think. I always seem to have a couple of peach or plum trees each year that gets confused. Usually does not hurt since only a few buds will bud out. If there is a set of three buds, 2 will produce flowers and one will produce leafs. Single buds only produce leafs.

Thanks Embothrium, I have researched what varieties will grow well here in my area. The problem is that no legit vendors seem to have the ones I want in stock, or I find them listed @ hinky sellers for crazy prices. I refuse to pay $70-$80 for a bare root stick that I may or may not receive.

I know there's a season for buying plum trees too. Vendors do not carry them year round.

It's not an urgent need - just a desire.

And thanks, gary - that's a bit reassuring. This is the first time it's happened and I wondered if it was a reaction to the weird weather we've had.

It does seem be happen more often following a hurricane. It is the stress that seems to induce them to start blooming. I private message you earlier this week. If there is anything I can help you with the Odom plum just let me know.