🟣 Our Select Plum & Prune Varieties
Plums are among the easiest and most rewarding fruit trees to grow in the Eastern Cape. They are hardy, fast-growing, and provide a spectacular display of white blossoms in spring. For the best fruit set, we recommend planting at least two different varieties to assist with cross-pollination.
Harry Pickstone Plum Tree
The Reliable Heavy-Hitter: A classic South African favourite named after a pioneer of the fruit industry. It is an exceptionally vigorous grower and a very heavy producer.
Fruit Profile: Large, heart-shaped fruit with a dark red-to-purple skin and sweet, juicy yellow flesh. It has a mild, pleasant flavour that everyone loves.
Requirements:
Space: A fast grower that needs room to spread; perfect for a medium-to-large garden.
Pollination: Benefits significantly from having a Pioneer or Santa Rosa nearby.
Care: Use our CFT Liquid Fertilizer (R80) in early spring to support its massive crop.
Souvenir Plum Tree
The Gourmet Dessert Plum: A high-quality variety prized for its unique, slightly spicy-sweet flavour profile. It is often the first to disappear from the fruit bowl!
Fruit Profile: Large, elongated fruit with a beautiful dark purple skin and succulent, deep red flesh.
Requirements:
Sun: Needs full sun to develop the deep red interior colour and high sugar levels.
Soil: Thrives in our Triple Mix Farm Soil (R50); ensure the planting hole is well-drained.
Thinning: If the tree overproduces, thin the fruit in November to ensure the remaining plums grow to their full size.
Pioneer Plum Tree
The Early Harvest Star: One of the best "early" plums, ripening well before the mid-summer heat. It is incredibly hardy and resistant to many common plum ailments.
Fruit Profile: Round, medium-sized fruit with a bright red skin and yellow-to-pink flesh. It is very juicy and refreshing.
Requirements:
Pollination: A fantastic universal pollinator that helps other plums in your garden produce more fruit.
Climate: Highly adaptable to Gqeberha’s coastal conditions.
Mulch: Keep the roots cool with our Bark Chip Mulch (R55) to prevent fruit drop during dry spells.
Laetitia Plum Tree
The Late-Season Beauty: If you want to extend your harvest into late summer, the Laetitia is a must-have. It ripens later than most, providing fresh fruit when others have finished.
Fruit Profile: Large, round fruit with a striking bright red skin covered in tiny gold dots. The flesh is firm, sweet, and intensely flavoured.
Requirements:
Storage: Known for its exceptional shelf life; these plums stay firm and fresh for weeks after picking.
Yield: Very prolific; ensure you have sturdy branches through proper winter pruning.
Songold Plum Tree
The Golden Queen: A world-famous South African variety. It is the "gold standard" for yellow plums, known for its incredible sweetness and size.
Fruit Profile: Large, oval fruit with a beautiful golden-yellow skin that develops a slight red blush when fully ripe. The flesh is translucent yellow, melting, and honey-sweet.
Requirements:
Harvest: Ripens in mid-to-late January.
Care: Needs consistent watering during the fruit-filling stage (December).
Soil: Responds well to the extra nutrients in our Potting Soil Farm Mix (R40).
Van Der Merwe Prune Tree
The Drying & Baking Specialist: While plums are mostly for fresh eating, the Van Der Merwe Prune is a specialized variety with a higher sugar content and firmer flesh, specifically used for drying into prunes or for use in traditional tarts and desserts.
Fruit Profile: Medium-sized, oval-shaped fruit with a dark purple, almost black skin and firm, sweet, greenish-yellow flesh. The pit pulls away easily from the flesh (freestone).
Requirements:
Versatility: Can be eaten fresh, but the flavour intensifies beautifully when dried or cooked.
Hardiness: A very tough and resilient tree that handles the PE wind with ease.
Harvest: Pick when the fruit is slightly soft to the touch for maximum sweetness.
📍 Pot & Barrel "Die Plaas" Tip:
Plum trees love a winter "rest." Prune them while they are dormant (July/August) to remove any dead or crossing branches. This opens up the canopy to the sun, ensuring your fruit ripens evenly and stays sweet!
Visit us at the shop in Walmer, Port Elizabeth, or contact us on Whatsapp 072 867 3243.
Our Plum and Prune Trees are currently available from R165 each.