Description

About The Santa Rosa Plum Tree

A favorite of home gardeners and farmers’ markets, the Santa Rosa plum, was introduced in 1906 by famed horticulturalist, Luther Burbank, out of his home in Santa Rosa, California.

It is known for its sweet, slightly tart taste, and deep purple red color. This variety typically takes less years to begin bearing fruit than other plums. Commercial fruit production of the Santa Rosa plum is rare.

This Japanese plum variety makes a stunning ornamental tree with its showy, pinkish white blossoms in the spring.

Using the Fruit

A single tree can produce an abundance of fruit. Home gardeners and homesteaders will enjoy eating the plums fresh or cooking with them. For preservation, plums can be canned, made into jam, or dehydrated into prunes.

The skin of the plum is thin, and its yellow flesh clings tightly to the pit. Plums are good sources of fiber and high in vitamins A, C, and K. Due to its dark red coloring, the Santa Rosa plum is high in the antioxidants known as anthocyanins.

Growing Santa Rosa Plum Trees

These fruit trees need full sun and, in the winter, require 500 chill hours, so be sure to check the USDA hardiness zones to see if it is a good choice for your area.

It is self-pollinating, but cross pollinating with other Japanese varieties will result in greater yield.

Buy a Santa Rosa plum tree and enjoy this beautiful plant and its delicious fruit!

Survival Guaranteed!

Since 1816, Stark Bro’s has promised to provide customers with the very best fruit trees and plants. It’s just that simple. If your trees or plants do not survive, please let us know within one year of delivery. We will send you a free one-time replacement, with a nominal shipping fee of $9.99. If the item in question is not available, we can issue a one-time credit to your account equaling the original product purchase price or issue you a refund. Read more about our warranty policy.

Characteristics

Bloom Color Pink, White
Bloom Time Mid - Late
Chill Hours 300 - 500
Fruit Color Red
Fruit Size Large
Hardiness Zone Range 5 - 9
Pollination Self-Pollinating
Ripens/Harvest July
Shade/Sun Full Sun
Soil Composition Loamy
Soil Moisture Well Drained
Soil pH Level 6.0 - 7.0
Taste Sweet
Texture Firm
Years to Bear 3 - 6

Size & Spacing

Mature Size

The mature size of this variety depends on the version you choose to plant:
Standard 18 - 20' tall x 18 - 20' wide
Dwarf 8 - 10' tall x 8 - 10' wide

Recommended Spacing

The space needed for this variety to grow depends on the size you plant:
Standard 18 - 20'
Dwarf 8 - 10'

Zone Compatibility

This Variety's Zone Range 5 - 9
My Hardiness Zone ?
The USDA hardiness zones offer a guide to varieties that will grow well in certain climates. Each zone corresponds to the minimum winter temperatures experienced in a given area. Make sure that your hardiness zone lies within the zone compatibility range of this variety before ordering.

Pollination

This variety is self pollinating.

In many cases, you may still want to plant pollinating partners to increase the size of your crops, but with self-pollinating varieties doing so is optional. Plant one of these varieties within 100' for best results.

Tools & Supplies

Having the proper tools and supplies when growing your own can make the difference between a good harvest and a great harvest! Here's a list that our experts recommend for this variety.

Planting & Care

Learn all about how to grow plum trees in The Growing Guide. An entire section of our website dedicated to your growing success.

Shipping Information

Arrives when it's time to plant

Your success is our priority. We work hard to make sure that your order arrives at the ideal time for planting in your location based on your local climate conditions.

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Questions & Answers

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127 Questions
Why did you choose this?

We wanted a plum tree for a while and Santa Rosa has the darker flesh we enjoy.

Best plum taste by far!!!

My wife wanted one.

Cross pollinate with my Satsuma Plum Tree.

My Santa Rosa plum has stopped setting fruit. We see blooms but never get fruit anymore. Any suggestions? My husband wants to cut it down but, it is such a beautiful tree and, I know it should fruit.

You need to prune it properly; too much vegetative growth; check YouTube videos.

In Arkansas , we have late frost, some yrs. will the blooms survive, ?

Thank you for your question. It really depends upon how "hard" the frost is. A light frost will generally not kill the blooms. If the tree is small enough to cover with a sheet, you can do that; or you can mist the tree with water, which will form a protective coating around the blooms and actually keep them from freezing.

How long after planting will I begin to see growth of my Japanese Plum cutting?

for a spring planting I had growth a couple of weeks after planting. don't expect rapid growth the first year, however.....maybe 6 inches

My Santa Rosa Plums are about 4 yrs old and look great but for the past 2 years, something is happening once it starts to bear fruit.
They have dry, brown lesions on them and then drop all the fruit. What could this be?

sounds like rust disease to me. do you have cedars or pines near by. read up on that

What the difference between the dwarf and the standard tree?

I always buy the dwarf trees. Same size fruit but on a smaller tree. You can tend the tree and pick the fruit without ladders and equipment. Most of it is in reach standing on the ground.

Does it attract butterflies?

We have not seen butterflies visiting our Santa Rosa plums when they are in bloom, but we do see many other pollinators including honey bees. Butterflies are not usually in our area at the time the Santa Rosa plums bloom; the butterflies arrive later in the season. They are beautiful plants and the fruit is delicious!

What is bloom time for this tree?

I am just outside kansas city. I have 9 year old plumb trees and three year old plumb trees.

My experience is the trees don't produce fruit until year 3. My plumb are also my earliest bloomers and the years we get that hard crazy April weather event I get no fruit.

What varieties pollenate Santa Rosa?

Methley and Redheart are good choices for red plums; Shiro is an excellent yellow plum that will also work.

What kind of soil do plum trees like?

Plum trees thrive in well-drained, slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8, according to Plant Me Green. They prefer a loamy soil that is rich in organic matter but also well-drained to prevent waterlogging. Plum trees can also tolerate a variety of soils, as long as they are not limiting in water and nutrients and the soil pH is adequate.

When will this tree flower, early mid or late? We got freezes into early May…

It is an early season bloomer as most plums are.

Customer Reviews

270 Ratings
3.8out of 5 stars
270 Ratings

Rated 5 stars by 50% of reviewers

Rated 4 stars by 17% of reviewers

Rated 3 stars by 9% of reviewers

Rated 2 stars by 9% of reviewers

Rated 1 star by 16% of reviewers

1-10 of 270 Reviews
Rated 5 out of 5
Jul 29, 2025
Very nice and healthy plants bare roots due well for this year hot weather water weekly look great
Rated 5 out of 5
Jul 26, 2025
Off to a great start!
Stark Bro's shipped the tree at the correct time (April 15 for my area), ground was thawed and ready for planting. The bare root tree was in great shape (not dehydrated from sitting in a warehouse for an extended amount of time), and it leafed out evenly and beautifully. I know where I'm going to get my trees in the future!
Rated 5 out of 5
Jul 8, 2025
The little tree is doing fine even though I planted it later in the spring. It should do well
Rated 5 out of 5
Jun 16, 2025
Another Stark success
This tree arrived in great shape with a healthy root system. Once planted it leafed right out and has put on over a foot in new growth already, with many more months left in the growing season. Of course, now I look forward to seeing how long it will take to flower and give fruit.
Rated 5 out of 5
May 14, 2025
Plum Santa rosa
Strong , Hardy trees, has not bloomed yet, I am happy. Tree branches growing up straight, upright growth.
Rated 5 out of 5
May 5, 2025
Healthy tree
The tree came wrapped well and healthy. It's been planted for a month now. A few fruit has even set and it growing well.
Rated 5 out of 5
Oct 31, 2024
Prolific and sweet! The perfect tree!
A completely outstanding tree! After it's first winter it put on over a hundred sweet gleaming red fruit. I cannot recommend this fruit tree enough! Make sure to protect its soft wood, and to give it plenty of care! I would buy 10 more if I had the space!
Rated 5 out of 5
Sep 10, 2024
Success
I ordered them late , well for SE AZ , zone 8 B . so currently i planted my trees in pots until the fall cooler temps are here, it's been 100 plus for months. The trees are doing great in pots lots of growth foliage and green..starks trees even bare root survive here. Thanks
Rated 5 out of 5
Aug 29, 2024
Did not come to life.
Planted in full sun. Never grew or showed any signs of life. Disappointing loss.
Rated 5 out of 5
Aug 5, 2024
Live in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Very Excited the Plum tree is doing amazing. I was referred to stark bros from a neighbor who has a couple trees from Stark bros.