Plant Indian plum in fall, at the same depth it grew in the nursery pot, in moist soil that drains. Add a male nearby if you want fruit on a female.
Plant in fall at the old soil line, and add a male if you want fruit
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | Fall, so roots grow through the rains before the first dry summer; spring works if you can water | Do not plant into a waterlogged hole in midwinter |
| Depth | Set the root ball even with the surrounding soil, no deeper | Do not bury the stem or plant it in a pit that holds water |
| Spacing | 8 to 12 feet for a landscape shrub; 4 to 6 feet if you want a thicket or a screen | Do not crowd it as a 4-foot mound beside a path if you want one open shrub |
| Sexes | Plant a male near any female if you want fruit | Do not expect plums from a female that stands alone |
Indian plum settles fastest from a container in fall. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper, and set the plant so the old soil line sits even with the bed. [1] The roots sit shallow, so a winter-wet pit rots them. Backfill with the soil you dug out. [2] Container stock and bare-root stock both work if you keep the first season from drying out. [3] Male and female flowers sit on separate plants, so a female needs a nearby male to set a crop. [4]
- Pick a spot in sun or part shade that stays moist but drains in winter. A woodland edge or a stream terrace is a natural fit.
- Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and no deeper than the nursery soil line.
- Score circling roots on a pot-bound plant, then set it at the old soil line.
- Backfill with native soil, firm it, and water it in. Spread a few inches of mulch, keeping it off the stems.
- Space plants 8 to 12 feet apart for a landscape shrub, or 4 to 6 feet if you want a thicket.
- If you want fruit, set a male within a short walk of each female. Water through the first dry season, then follow the settled-plant plan on How to Grow Indian Plum.
When should I plant Indian plum?
Fall is the easiest window, so roots grow through the rains. Spring is fine if you can water through the first dry months.
If the hole puddles after rain, lift the root ball onto a low mound of native soil so winter water runs off, then water it in.
FAQ
How do I tell a male plant from a female?
Look at the flowers. Male clusters show many stamens and are often showier. Female clusters have pistils and later make fruit. Ask the nursery if the tag does not say.
Should I buy a container plant or bare root?
A container shrub settles more reliably. Bare root can work if you plant it while it is dormant and keep the first season from drying out.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Plant Native -
https://plantnative.org/native-plants/indian-plum-oemleria-cerasiformis.htm - [2] NRCS Plant Materials Center, Corvallis -
https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_oece.pdf - [3] University of Washington Restoration -
https://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/oemleria.htm - [4] Oregon State University Landscape Plants -
https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/oemleria-cerasiformis
This note is part of Oemleria Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors