✅ Italian Plum, 1 year old grafted plant 1-2 ft tall. Italian Plum trees (Prunus Domestica) are a cold-hardy, European freestone variety of plum, producing high yields of oblong-shaped plums with a higher sugar content compared to the common American variety (Prunus americana).(USDA Zones 5-9) 

✅ Italian plum trees are self-fertile and have a later ripening season than most plum trees. The added sweetness of this freestone plum makes it a joy to prepare and use in a wide range of dishes, and these self-pollinating trees won’t require a whole orchard to help them produce! 

✅ The Italian plum tree (Prunus domestica) produces a versatile fruit that can be canned, frozen or made into jellies and preserves. It is especially good for drying. The Italian plum or prune tree grows to 15 to 20 feet high with a slightly larger spread. Because they are late bloomers and have a long growing season, Italian plum trees do best when planted in areas with a later frost date. They also respond well in areas with cold, wet springs. The pink or white blossoms appear in mid-spring. 

✅ Fruit The Italian plum tree bears sweet purplish-black fruit of medium size. The flesh of the fruit is yellow-greenish. You can expect the tree to begin setting fruit three to five years after planting. It will reach full production at about 10 years of age, and you can expect it to provide fruit until the age of 15 to 20 years. Each tree will produce up to 3 to 5 bushels per year. Planting Plant plum trees in the early spring or when it is dormant. 

✅ Space them at least 20 feet apart in fertile, well-drained soil. When buying nursery stock, look for trees 3 to 6 feet tall with a trunk three-eighths-to-three-fourths-inch in diameter. Growing Zones: 5-9.  Training and Pruning Trees need early training and yearly pruning to stay healthy and productive. Prune and train using what is called the modified central leader system. This means several lateral branches should be allowed to develop from the main trunk. 

✅ When the tree reaches the desired height, cut the main trunk to a short lateral branch. Harvesting and Storing Watch for color changes as the plums approach ripeness. The fruit will also feel softer as it ripens. A spot with a temperature of 31 to 32 degrees or a refrigerator is best for storage of plum fruit. Any stored fruit that is not used within two to four weeks will need to be preserved by canning, freezing or drying.