When are plums in season?

In a home garden, plums ripen from early May in Florida to September in the north. Japanese plums come first, mostly June and July in Georgia and Tennessee and into August farther north. European plums and prunes follow from August into September.

This page is about fruit you grow yourself, in a home garden. It is not a guide to pick-your-own farms or to what is in the stores. Dates shift with the variety, the weather that year and how much winter chill the plant got, so treat them as typical ranges.

When plums ripen, by region

Typical home-garden harvest times for plums, by region
Where	Ripens	Source
Florida	early May to early June, Japanese plums (Gulf series). Gulf series ripen early to late May.	UF/IFAS Extension
Georgia (central, average peak at Byron)	late May to late July, Japanese plums and hybrids. Six Weeks 5/25, Methley 6/3, Morris 6/16, Ozark Premier 6/25, Mariposa 7/2, Ruby Queen 7/20.	University of Georgia Extension
North Carolina	June to August	NC State Extension
Tennessee	June to July, Japanese and hybrid plums. Bruce and Methley in June, Ozark Premier June to July.	University of Tennessee Extension
Tennessee	August, European plums. Stanley blooms and fruits later than many other plums.	University of Tennessee Extension
Arkansas (Arkansas River Valley)	early July to mid August, Japanese and hybrid plums. A.U. Amber early July, Morris and Methley mid-July, A.U. Roadside early August, Ozark Premier mid-August.	University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service
Arkansas (Arkansas River Valley)	late August, European plums. Stanley and Damson. The source says European types suit Arkansas less well.	University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service
Maryland	July to mid August, Japanese and European varieties. Methley early to mid-July, Shiro late July, Ozark Premier early to mid-August, Stanley mid-August.	University of Maryland Extension
New York	late July to mid September. Cornell's table gives the harvest period for a plum tree as late July to mid-September.	Cornell Cooperative Extension
Southern Wisconsin	late July to early September, American hybrid and European blue plums. BlackIce late July to early August, Alderman third week of August, Mount Royal late August, Stanley early September. Japanese plums are not recommended.	University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
Minnesota	mid July to late August, hybrid plums. Underwood mid to late July, BlackIce late July to early August, Alderman mid-August, Pembina and Toka mid to late August.	University of Minnesota Extension
Minnesota	mid August to early September, European prune-type plums. Mount Royal mid to late August, Stanley early September.	University of Minnesota Extension
Western Washington	mid July to late August, Japanese and hybrid plums. Methley mid to late July, Shiro late July to early August, Hollywood mid to late August. Trials in the Skagit Valley.	Washington State University Extension
Western Washington	mid July to mid September, European plums and prunes. Early Laxton mid to late July, Seneca mid-August to early September, Victory late August to mid-September, Valor and Stanley mid-September.	Washington State University Extension

How long until a tree bears

Oregon State Extension says plum trees take 3 to 5 years to bear. Gulf series plums in Florida are quicker and often fruit in the second year after planting. Oregon State University Extension Service (EC 819, 2025)

Japanese and European plums

European plums bloom and ripen later than Japanese plums, which is why the table lists them separately. University of Tennessee Extension (W 895-F)

Where plums grow

The NC State Plant Toolbox lists European plum for USDA zones 4a through 9b and Japanese plum for zones 5a through 8b. NC State Extension Plant Toolbox (salicina entry: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/prunus-salicina/)

How long one tree lasts

A Gulf series tree normally ripens its fruit over 10 to 15 days. UF/IFAS Extension (HS895)

When to plant plums, by zone

These are planting windows from the same climate engine the Dibble app uses, run at typical places in each hardiness zone. They say when plum plants can go in. They do not say when the fruit ripens: that is the table above.

When to plant plums, by zone
Zone	Planting window	Exact dates
Zone 3	Not suited to this zone	Zone 3 dates
Zone 4	Apr 19 to May 30	Zone 4 dates
Zone 5	Apr 11 to May 19	Zone 5 dates
Zone 6	Apr 3 to May 14	Zone 6 dates
Zone 7	Mar 18 to Apr 28	Zone 7 dates
Zone 8	Feb 19 to Mar 30	Zone 8 dates
Zone 9	Jan 22 to Mar 4	Zone 9 dates
Zone 10	Mar 17 to Apr 27	Zone 10 dates
Zone 11	Not suited to this zone	Zone 11 dates

How to grow plums · Find your growing zone by ZIP code

Common questions

When is plum season?

From early May in Florida to September in the north. Japanese plums ripen first, mostly June and July in the South. European plums and prunes ripen from August into September.

Which plums ripen first?

Japanese plums and their hybrids. European plums bloom and ripen later, so a garden with one of each has fruit for longer.

How long until a plum tree bears fruit?

Oregon State gives 3 to 5 years, Cornell 5 and NC State 4 to 6. Gulf series plums in Florida often fruit in the second year.