Description

A Stark Bro's Exclusive!Easy to Grow! A Stark Pick

Perfect for first-time growers. We never use the term “delicious” lightly, and this variety is no exception. Consistently bears heavy crops of round, sweet dessert plums with red skin and red flesh. Disease-resistant to bacterial leaf spot and canker. Heat-tolerant. Clingstone. Discovered in 1931 and introduced by Stark Bro’s in 1951. Ripens in early August.

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 White
Bloom Time Early
Chill Hours 700 - 1000
Fruit Color Red
Fruit Size Large
Hardiness Zone Range 5 - 9
Pollination Pollinator Required
Ripens/Harvest Early August
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 requires another one for adequate pollination.

Cross-pollination by a different variety is key to its growing and bearing success. Plant one of these varieties within 100' for best pollination.

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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27 Questions
Why did you choose this?

THIS ONE IS NAMED AFTER STARKBROS SO THEY HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE IN THIS ONE. THE PICTURE LOOKS GREAT AS WELL

Sweet plum

Needed a pollinator

Looked good with the positive reviews and Stark grafts and hybrids have always been good.

I already have Big Blue and Santa Rosa varieties. I know they are not on your list of preferred pollinators for Starking Delicious or Elephant Heart, but will they serve as adequate pollinators for either Starking Delicious or Elephant Heart plums?

Starking Delicious and Elephant Heart are Asian/Japanese type plums, so Santa Rosa (another Asian/Japanese type plum) should work just fine as a pollinator for those varieties. 'Big Blue' is a European type plum, so it is not recommended.

I have a Plumcot tree which produced a huge crop this year.it was polinated by a Santa Rosa but I lost the Santa Rosa. . The Starking Delicious would be a pollinator for my plumcot but will the plumcot pollinate the Starking?

We appreciate you reaching out to us. Unfortunately the plum cot will not pollinate this variety. You would need an Ozark premier or a Methley for proper pollination.

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reach back out to us. Have a great day!

Can we plant in October in PA?

We appreciate you reaching out to us. Because weather and soil conditions vary so much from year to year and even within your zone, it's best to think of your planting time as a range of favorable conditions instead of an exact time.

You can plant new plants and trees:
1) when the ground is not frozen.
2) when daytime temperatures are above freezing (32ºF) and below 90ºF.
3) when extreme weather (blizzard, hail, torrential rain, etc.) is not in the forecast. Be sure to keep plants watered if you're transplanting in warm and/or dry weather.

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reach back out to us. Have a great day!

is it a dwarf?

You can keep it as small as you would like. I cut mine off at 3' and will continue pruning every year to keep it that small.

Will the Ruby Sweet plum and the Starking Delicious pollinate each other?

Yes, Ruby Sweet plum and Starking Delicious plum are compatible pollinators for each other, as long as they bloom at the same time — and they typically do.

Will you have these in stock again? I bought one a few years ago. I want another.  It has plums for the first time. I’m in zone 9a with 450 chill hours. Hope that helps someone.

We appreciate you reaching out to us. We do not have a guaranteed ETA on when more will become available. We are very sorry for this inconvenience and completely understand your disappointment. Rest assured, that if you sign up for a notification, you'll be one of the first to be notified when it becomes available again.

If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to reach back out to us, remember that we're here for you. Have a great day!

Is delicious plum self-pollinating?

No it is not self pollinating as listed on the product page to the right it requires another tree in order to bear fruit.

I am looking for pluot trees?

We do offer one variety but it is currently out of stock. https://www.starkbros.com/products/fruit-trees/plum-trees/flavor-queen-pluot

I have a damson plum tree it is self pollinating. Would that work with this plum tree?

Yes those will pollinate together to bear fruit.

What are the chill hours?

Japanese plums require 700 to 1,000 hours in the chilling range to break dormancy and resume growth.

Customer Reviews

60 Ratings
4.0out of 5 stars
60 Ratings

Rated 5 stars by 57% of reviewers

Rated 4 stars by 15% of reviewers

Rated 3 stars by 10% of reviewers

Rated 2 stars by 7% of reviewers

Rated 1 star by 12% of reviewers

1-10 of 60 Reviews
Rated 5 out of 5
Jun 19, 2024
Fruiting without a companion
I got/planted my tree in fall 2019. I bought a Shiro plum at the same time for pollination, but some terrible human being cut it in half the next spring. So I was left with one lonely, but vigorous, non-self-pollinating plum tree. It puts out amazing-smelling flowers in the spring and tripled in size in 5 years, but I don't think about it much anymore, until I came home to my husband telling me to go look at my plum tree. Neighbors, this tree has about 60 lbs of fruit on it this year! It's delicious, it's completely unexpected, it's a miracle!
Rated 5 out of 5
Apr 15, 2024
Outstanding flavor
This is my favorite plum. Planted in 2017. Very sturdy and hardy with no limb breakage to wind or when bearing fruit. The plums are small and completely red throughout with a fabulous sweet/sour taste. Nice crisper texture, not soft and mushy. A favorite of everyone in my family. I even can them whole
Rated 5 out of 5
Apr 27, 2023
Stark licous Plum
I received my tree in yhe fall and it is growing very well.
Have not had any problems and waiting for my first crop
Rated 5 out of 5
Sep 20, 2022
Fantastic tree with lots of fruit
This is the only plum I can get to grow in my yard. It grows so well in fact, that it continues to grow well into winter. It's only a few years old now and it's huge. Branches have been torn off by storms and it just popped right back out. Very full and prolific. Love it, just wish I could get a pollinator to grow so I can enjoy the fruit!
Rated 5 out of 5
Sep 14, 2022
Arrived in good condition. Still doing very well.
Rated 5 out of 5
Mar 18, 2022
Great plum tree, good pollinator, loaded with sweet flavourful fruits. Very satisfied with that purchase.
Rated 5 out of 5
Sep 14, 2021
Great plum tree
Delicious and juicy. My dwarf produces a lot of fruit. Happy to have this one in my collection. Makes a wonderful jam when I have too many plums on hand.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jun 19, 2020
Declicious fruit!
I wasn't sure how this would fare due to having some random freezes late into the spring this year. I thinned this tree like crazy and still had plenty of fruit - which is absolutely delicious!
Rated 5 out of 5
Aug 28, 2019
I'm impressed
I already had a Santa Rosa and a Methley in the ground when I got this little "feller" (and I do mean little!). It was the smallest tree offered, and I planted it in my mini orchard. We had a lot of grasshoppers this year, and they stripped this tree of ALL the leaves. It is now three weeks later, and it is bravely leafing out again--even more leaves than it had before the grasshopper attack. Grasshoppers notwithstanding, so far this little tree has dealt with temps over 110 F. I'm really impressed. I also bought a Granny Smith apple, who is presently cheerfully growing in a 5 gallon pot, until I can figure out exactly where to plant it. I recommend Stark to everyone. I haven't had to use the return/refund, so I don't know how well that works, but it doesn't look like I'll need to find out, since the trees I've ordered are doing so well, in spite of our desert heat, and insect attacks.
Rated 5 out of 5
Jul 1, 2019
Stark Delicious plum dwarf
We finally got our first harvest this year. Great plums with wonderful flavor. Made a beautiful jelly!