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Planting wild American Plums from pits #807590

Asked August 22, 2022, 10:26 PM EDT

I love the wild plums from an American Plum(?) tree growing in a sunny spot along a wetland/lake in our neighborhood. But when the city came by to do some maintenance, they cut one down. It inspired me to try to spread them elsewhere. At this point I’m just bury my pits in random places, but how can I more successfully grow an American Plum tree from a pit?

Hennepin County Minnesota

Expert Response

Thank you for writing.
Most eating plums are grown from grafts consisting of a hardy root and a delicious top.  The plum pits are the genetics of the top.  Without the hardy roots, you will not get as robust a plant.
Nevertheless, here are instructions. 
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/plum/planting-plum-pits.htm
Also, the pollination issues are complex especially with an unknown pit. https://skynursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Pollination-Chart-Plum.pdf

Actually, the plums I'm referring to are wild, native plums.  They are not cultivated or grafted.  The link below is of the plum species I'm referring to:
https://www.threeriversparks.org/blog/species-spotlight-american-plum

Is the link you posted still applicable?

Thanks,
Mark

The Question Asker Replied August 23, 2022, 2:19 PM EDT
Thank you for writing.
Wild plums are not self pollinating and need a pollinator pair. https://minnetonkaorchards.com/wild-plum-tree/#:~:text=They%20do%20not%20self%20pollinate,is%20pollinated%20by%20insect%20pollinators.

Keep in mind that some wild plums are not really wild but are the result of someone tossing a plum pit after they were done with it and it took root by happenstance. In such a case, if this was the top of a graft, you would get the fruit but it would be weaker than the original grafted tree that produced the fruit.

Here is how to identify a wild plum. 

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