wild plum - seed (#2)

Wild plum seed is sold in quantities of 25 and 100. Seed requires cold stratification and will exhibit some degree of double dormancy.

There is not much in the native fruit world I love as much as a well-established wild plum thicket. The thicket planted as part of the Feralwood project, where these seed originate, is a multi-species thicket. Known species present are American and chickasaw plum. There are also some species yet to be certainly identified, and some of these are suspected hybrids. There is a great deal of variation within the thicket, which was started by seedlings.

The flowering of this thicket takes place over a two week period in early spring, and there is a great deal of overlap in the flowering of individual trees. As such, these seed are not likely to produce true to any species, and in all likelihood will produce hybrid wild plums.

Wild plum seed should be cold stratified for 60 to 90 days before planting in the Spring. It is good to be aware that some wild plum seed will have double dormancy, meaning they will require two periods of cold stratification (in the wild this is two winters, separated by warm weather) before germination will occur. I see about 25% germination the first Spring, with the rest the following Spring.

If you would like to learn more about wild plums check out this article written by Akiva Silver of Twisted Tree Farm, Growing American Plums, and this article written by Solomon Gamboa of Indigenous Landscapes, Wild Plum Conservation Project

Plant details:
Genus & species: Prunus spp.
Hardiness: Zone 3 to zone 9
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Soil type: Tolerant of a variety of soils
Soil moisture: Average to moist, well-drained, drought-tolerant once established