Prunus salicina ‘Ozark Premier’ (Japanese Plum)

Prunus salicina ‘Ozark Premier’ is an heirloom variety of Japanese plum tree with a wide spreading canopy clothed in elliptic, finely serrated, bright green leaves. It bursts into a profusion of sweetly fragrant, white 5-petaled blossoms in early spring, creating a spectacular display. They are followed by a heavy crop of large red plums with yellow flesh in mid to late summer. The fruits are firm, sweet, and juicy, perfect for eating, canning, or making jelly. This Japanese plum tree is self-fruitful, but planting two different cultivars is recommended to ensure better fruiting. A lovely plum tree in blossom, in leaf, and especially in fruit when the heavy plums hang from delicate branches. Disease-resistant and relatively hardy, it is adapted to many regions.

• Typically grows up to 20 ft. tall and wide (6 m) at maturity. The dwarf variety grows up to 8-10 ft. tall and wide (2-3 m).
• Performs best in full sun in loamy, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline soil, well-drained soils.
• This plum tree has a chill hours requirement of 800 hours below 45ºF (7ºC) in the winter for their buds to open in the spring).
• Train your plum tree when young to an open-center shape to ensure all branches are always bathed in light and air.
• Plums require minimal pruning, which should be done after flowering when the tree is still leafless. In maturity, prune mostly to let light into the tree’s center and to encourage a moderate amount of new growth for the following year’s fruit. About 20% of the new growth each year is removed to rejuvenate the tree and control spread.
• Hand-thin the fruits (if the crop is heavy) so they are 5 in. apart.
• Japanese plums can be picked before they are completely ripe since they will finish ripening off the tree.
• Look for bacterial canker, bacterial leaf spot, brown rot, and black knot.