Prunus angustifolia aka Cherokee plum, Florida Sand plum, Sandhill plum. A native plum originally cultivated by Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans. Average growth rate 12 to 18" per year. Clusters of tiny, fragrant with flowers appear each spring on previous years wood. Flowers before the leaves appear. Small fruit turn from red to yellow as they ripen. Tart fruit that can be eaten fresh or used for jelly. Excellent for wildlife. Rounded tree form with slender, thorny branches.
Attractive pollinator friendly addition.
Can grow to 25' but most commonly not found over 12'. Zone 5-9, self fertile.
Due to import restrictions we are unable to ship Plums to CA, WA, Europe...
Care Guide
White flowers in the spring are attractive and fragrant, usually creating a beautiful show of blooms. It would make an excellent naive landscape plant. Usually maintenance free and attract wildlife.
Chickasaw plum is easy to grow in most any soil, excluding strongly alkaline. Chickasaw grows naturally on sandy soils, but performs well when planted in heavier clay-loam soil. Performs best in full sun, but can withstand partial shade. Seedlings are not as vigorous as American plum seedlings. Weed and grass control is very important for the first and second year to insure survival and young growth. Chickasaw is drought tolerant once established. As with all plums, fruit is susceptible to plum curculio.
Chickasaw plum growth habit, short and thickly branched shrub. averaging 14 to 25' if not maintained. Can be maintained to 10' with pruning.
The fruit is generally used for wine, jam and jelly. Fruit 1/4 to 1/2" in size, thin skinned, red, orange/red or yellow with a small stone/pit. Fruits can range from edible to bitter.
Insects and disease may occasionally be an issue but rarely a serious problem. Rabbits may chew on the bark which will cause new sprouts to form. Fruit drop and fruit damage from curculio can be controlled with spray schedule. Major disease problems include brown rot of the fruit and bacterial leaf spot.
When planting this or any shrub or tree, dig a hole that's 1.5 times the size of the root ball. Place the root ball in the hole and back fill it with the soil from the hole. Remember to tease out the roots so your soil surrounds the root system you just freed from the shape of the pot. Mulch around the base to help control weeds and retain moisture in the dry months.