Can You Grow a Plum Tree from a Stone? The Honest Answer
Yes, you can grow a plum tree from a stone, but it's rarely the best way to get good plums. A stone-grown tree takes 4 to 7 years to fruit, grows into a large tree of 5 to 8 m, and its fruit usually won't match the plum you ate. It's a fun experiment, but if you want reliable fruit, a nursery-grown tree of a known variety is the better investment. Here's what to expect, how to try it if you'd like to, and how to get good plums sooner.
Short on time? For reliable fruit, a self-fertile damson tree crops heavily, copes with heavy Irish soils and cold sites, and you'll know exactly what you're getting.
Plum from a Stone vs a Nursery Tree
Fruit quality: a stone gives unpredictable fruit, often smaller and sharper; a nursery tree gives a known variety with known flavour
Time to first fruit: 4 to 7 years from a stone; a nursery tree is already one to two years old and often crops within 3 to 5 years of planting
Tree size: a stone-grown tree on its own roots reaches 5 to 8 m; a grafted tree's size is set by its rootstock, for example 3 to 5 m on St Julian A
Pollination: unknown for a seedling; known for a named variety (damsons are self-fertile)
Success rate: stones germinate patchily and some wait a second winter; a nursery tree is growing from the day you plant it
Why Plums Don't Come True from a Stone
Named plums such as Victoria are clones, grafted onto a rootstock to keep every tree identical. The stone inside the fruit is the result of a cross between that tree and whatever pollinated its flowers, so the seedling is a new, untested variety.
Most seedlings give fruit that is smaller, sharper or less productive than the parent. Occasionally one turns out well, but you won't know for 4 to 7 years, by which time the tree has taken up a lot of space. Damsons, bullaces and cherry plums are closer to their wild ancestors, so their seedlings are more predictable.
When Growing from a Stone Makes Sense
As a project with children: watching a stone sprout is a great way to learn how trees grow.
To raise your own rootstocks: cherry plum seedlings are the traditional Myrobalan rootstock, so you can graft a known variety onto them.
For a wildlife hedge: where fruit quality doesn't matter, seedling plums give blossom for bees and fruit for birds.
If you have space and patience: and you enjoy the gamble of a brand-new variety.
How to Try It: The Short Version
Pick the right stones: use fully ripe, local plums from August to September. Supermarket plums are often picked before the seed is mature.
Clean them: remove all the flesh, which causes mould, and let the stones air-dry for a day.
Give them winter cold: sow in pots outdoors in autumn under wire mesh to stop mice, or keep them in damp compost in the fridge at 1 to 5°C for 8 to 12 weeks.
Sow in spring: plant 3 to 5 cm deep in a deep pot in March. Keep unsprouted pots for a full year, as some stones wait a second winter.
Plant out: after one or two years, between November and March.
The Faster Route: Plant a Nursery-Grown Plum
If you want plums you know you'll enjoy, start with a young tree of a proven variety. These are the most reliable choices for Irish and UK gardens.
Damson: self-fertile, tough, and happy on heavy clay and in colder, exposed sites. Rich, tangy fruit for jam, crumbles and gin.
Cherry plum: one of the earliest blossoms of the year for bees, with sweet-tart fruit in summer. A good pollination partner for other plums.
Victoria: the classic sweet dessert plum, grafted on St Julian A rootstock for a manageable 3 to 5 m tree.
Plums flower early, in March and April, so plant in full sun with shelter from cold winds and avoid frost pockets. Plant bare-root trees between November and March; our guide on how to plant a fruit tree covers every step. Always prune plums in summer, not winter, to avoid silver leaf and bacterial canker; our fruit tree pruning guide explains how.
FAQ: Growing Plums from Stones
Can you grow a plum tree from a supermarket plum?
You can try, but results are poor. Many supermarket plums are picked before the seed inside is fully mature, and some are Japanese varieties suited to warmer climates. Even when a stone does germinate, the fruit won't match the plum you bought. For reliable fruit in Ireland or the UK, plant a nursery-grown tree of a known variety.
How long does a plum tree grown from a stone take to fruit?
Usually 4 to 7 years. Stone-grown plums grow on their own vigorous roots, so they put energy into height before fruit and often reach 5 to 8 m. A nursery tree is already one to two years old when you plant it, and a grafted tree's rootstock controls its size and encourages earlier cropping.
Will a plum tree from a stone produce the same plums?
Almost never. Named plums are grafted clones, and their stones carry genes from whichever tree pollinated the flower. The seedling is a new variety, usually with smaller or sharper fruit. Damsons and cherry plums come closer to type from seed, but the only way to be sure of the fruit is to plant a named variety.
What is the best plum tree for Ireland?
Damson is the most reliable plum for Irish conditions: it's self-fertile, hardy, and tolerates heavy clay and cold, exposed sites. Victoria is the best-known dessert plum for sheltered gardens. Cherry plum is ideal for wildlife gardens and hedgerows, and its early blossom helps pollinate other plums nearby.
Get Picking Sooner
Growing a plum from a stone is a lovely experiment, but a nursery tree gets you the fruit you actually want. Bare-root season runs from November to March, the best time to plant. Browse all our fruit trees at Earthling Plants; orders over €150 ship free.
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