fruit tree
Satsuma plum
Pair with another Japanese-type plum for pollination and thin crops well.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 6a-9a
- Sun
- Full
- Soil
- LoamClay
- Water
- Medium
- Planting depth
- Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container min
- 15+ gal (good)
- Goals
- FruitCurb appeal & color
Harvest & Use
- Window
- red-fleshed plums in summer
- Yield return
- 80-250 lb/plant/year
- First output
- 3-4 yrs
- Best for
- FruitCurb appeal & color
Harvest window: red-fleshed plums in summer. Once established, the current pound-return model uses 80-250 lb/plant/year with a harvest window of 2-5 weeks.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Forest & Kim Starr / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Pound return
- 80-250 lb/plant/year
- 10-year return
- 442.7-1383.3 lb/10 yrs
- Full output
- 5-8 yrs
- Mature size
- 8-20 ft H x 6-15 ft W
- Spacing
- 20-30 ft in-row x 20-25 ft rows
- Planting depth
- Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container min
- 15+ gal (good)
- Productive life
- 12-20 yrs
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Reliability
- 3/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, Medium yield confidence
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
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Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
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Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
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Tree trunk guard
Protection / After plantingProtect young trunks from mower damage, sunscald, rabbits, and rubbing injury.
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Frost blanket
Protection / Cold nightsExtend the season or protect tender plants during cold snaps.
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Fruit tree and berry fertilizer
Nutrition / After establishmentSupport fruiting wood, bloom, and recovery after establishment once soil needs are known.
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Soil test kit or lab mailer
Site prep / Before plantingCheck pH and baseline nutrients before adding amendments, especially for fruiting crops, native beds, and acid-loving plants.
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Digging spade or shovel
Tools / Planting dayOpen planting holes, loosen compacted soil, and shape beds for larger transplants.
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Plant labels
Planning / Planting dayTrack cultivar, planting date, and variety when comparing harvests or pollination partners.
Yield curve
Estimated Pound Return
Projected annual yield ramp from establishment to full production, using the current sourced range for Satsuma plum.
- Year 1
- 0 lb Establishment year: focus on roots before harvest.
- Year 5
- 40-125 lb
- Year 10
- 80-250 lb
- 10-year total
- 442.7-1383.3 lb/10 yrs
Shaded band shows the sourced low-to-high pound-yield range. The line tracks the midpoint for quick comparison.
Method: direct pound yield from crop metric source. Annual crops assume one comparable planting per year; perennial crops ramp from first bearing to full production.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Keep the root flare at soil level; graft unions stay above grade.
- Container minimum: 15+ gal (good). Use 15+ gal with excellent drainage and move indoors where winters are cold.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
- Plant more than one when harvest volume or pollination is the main goal.
- Use the pairing map below to choose nearby companions or compatible varieties.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full light, loam, clay soil, and medium water.
- Use 20-30 ft in-row x 20-25 ft rows as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 8-20 ft H x 6-15 ft W.
- For harvest planning, treat "red-fleshed plums in summer" and 80-250 lb/plant/year as planning ranges, not guarantees.
- Plan pollination or companion context before planting; nearby varieties can matter for fruit set.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Companion Plants & Pairings
Compatible Cultivars
Plum pollination depends on type, but many home plums crop better with a compatible partner nearby.
Use it: Compare Japanese, European, and native-hybrid types before buying; do not assume every plum pollinates every other plum.
Plant Nearby
Low alliums and long-blooming flowers can form a simple orchard-edge understory without competing heavily with young trees.
Use it: Keep the root flare clear, mulch the tree properly, and plant companions outside the trunk zone rather than against the bark.
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, source listings, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Quantitative sources: LSU AgCenter - Sustainable Gardening for School and Home Gardens: CitrusUniversity of Maryland Extension - Planting a Tree or ShrubUniversity of Maryland Extension - Starting a Home Fruit GardenUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables
Source listing: Stark Bro's. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-24.