Pipestone Plum 5-6 ft branched tree

Pipestone ripens early for a plum, in late August, and it is extremely hardy. The fruit are large and red with gold flesh; they are juicy with excellent, sweet flavor. Plant with Toka or seedling for cross-pollination.

Plums grow well in Central Vermont. They are beautiful flowering trees worth planting as ornamentals. Many varieties start bearing their sweet, juicy fruit in as little as one or two years after planting. Coating developing fruit with kaolin clay (Surround® spray) just after petal drop can dramatically reduce fruit loss to the pest plum curculio.

For best pollination, plant three or more varieties relatively close together (8-15 ft). Mount Royal and Greengage plums are self-fertile and may be planted singly but will not reliably pollinate the other varieties.