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best plum tree nz

Looking for the best plum tree NZ gardeners can plant in their backyard? Whether you’re dreaming of juicy summer harvests, making your own jams, or adding beauty to your orchard, choosing the right plum tree for your space is key. New Zealand’s unique climate is ideal for plums, with a broad selection available for all regions and tastes. From heritage favourites to hardy, disease-resistant cultivars, this guide will help you pick the best plum variety to suit your garden and lifestyle.

Plum 'Greengage' fruit.

Plum 'Greengage'

The ‘Greengage’ plum tree is a heritage variety prized for its lovely, green-skinned fruit with golden flesh. Renowned for its rich, honeyed flavour, it’s perfect for fresh eating, preserves, and desserts. Growing 3–4 metres tall, it performs best in full sun and well-drained soil. This deciduous fruit tree requires another variety of plum, such as 'Black Doris' or 'Luisa', planted nearby to produce good fruit yields. Ideal for home orchards, ‘Greengage’ is a reliable and rewarding addition to any New Zealand garden.

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Fruit Trees
Height: 5.00 m
Spread: 3.00 m
Flowering time: Spring
Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern
plum-hawera-

Plum Hawera

Hawera plum trees produce sweet, juicy fruit prized for its excellent flavour and reliable yield. Perfect for New Zealand gardens and orchards, these trees are easy to grow and provide abundant harvests, making them popular among home gardeners and commercial growers alike.

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Fruit Trees
Height: 5.00 m
Spread: 3.00 m
Flowering time: Spring
Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Frontyard, Modern
plum-omega-1

Plum Omega

'Omega' Plum Tree is a popular fruiting tree valued for its delicious sweet dark red plums and reliable performance in New Zealand gardens. Flowering...

From$343.89
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Plum Billington

Billington plum trees produce sweet, juicy fruit that ripens early in the season, making them ideal for New Zealand gardens and orchards. These trees...

Black Doris' plums.

Plum Black Doris

The 'Black Doris' Plum is a popular variety that produces large and firm, purple-black fruit. The flesh is dark red, sweet, and juicy. White blossoms...

plum-santa-rosa-5

Plum Santa Rosa

Plum Santa Rosa produces mid-sized, red-purple fruit with yellow-pink flesh that is sweet, juicy, and highly aromatic. White blossoms adorn the tree...

plum-satsuma-

Plum Satsuma

Plum Satsuma produces mid-sized, dark red skinned fruit with red flesh that is sweet and juicy. White blossoms adorn the tree in spring and give rise...

From$343.89
Luisa' plum tree covered in yellow fruit.

Plum 'Luisa'

The 'Luisa' Plum is a popular variety that produces good yields of large, yellow-skinned fruit, blushed with red. The flesh is firm, yellow, sweet...

From$432.79
Loropetalum 'Plum Gorgeous' with beautiful purple foliage growing out across a deck.

Loropetalum 'Plum Gorgeous'

Loropetalum 'Plum Gorgeous' produces fragrant, spider-like, dark pink flowers during spring and autumn, which are both unusual and appealing. The...

From$28.28
Spectacular Loropetalum 'Plum Delight' dark purple foliage.

Loropetalum 'Plum Delight'

Loropetalum 'Plum Delight' features spectacularly coloured flowers and foliage. It produces mildly fragrant, pink flowers from winter to spring...

From$28.28
coprosma-repens-plum-hussey--1

Coprosma Plum Hussey (Mirror Bush)

Coprosma Plum Hussey, commonly known as Mirror Bush or Mirror Plant, features glossy foliage that is an intense purple colour with a dark green...

From$24.98
magnolia-liliiflora-nigra-1

Magnolia liliiflora Nigra (Magnolia Tree Nigra)

Magnolia liliiflora Nigra, commonly known as Black Lily, is a stunning tree that bears masses of large and showy, purple flowers from late winter...

From$343.89
magnolia-deryk-2

Magnolia Deryk (Magnolia Tree Deryk)

Magnolia Deryk is a deciduous tree that bears masses of large and showy, dark red-purple flowers from late winter until early spring. The flowers are...

From$343.89
sequoiadendron-giganteum-

Sequoiadendron giganteum (Sequoia gigantea Tree)

Sequoiadendron giganteum, commonly known as the Giant Redwood, is a large, evergreen tree and aptly named for its red coloured wood. It features...

From$299.92
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Crassula ovata (Money Tree)

Crassula ovata is a versatile plant ideal for New Zealand gardens, offering unique features and easy care.

From$28.28
Metrosideros excelsa (Pohutukawa) specimen tree with masses of red flowers in a coastal location.

Metrosideros excelsa (Pōhutukawa)

Metrosideros excelsa, commonly known as Pōhutukawa or the New Zealand Christmas Tree, is a coastal evergreen renowned for its brilliant red flowers...

From$26.93
Dacrydium cupressinum (Rimu) tree juvenile foliage.

Dacrydium cupressinum (Rimu Tree)

Dacrydium cupressinum, commonly known as Rimu or Red Pine, is an iconic and slow-growing tree. The juvenile form features drooping branches densely...

From$97.13
leucadendron-plum-supreme-

Leucadendron Plum Supreme

Leucadendron Plum Supreme is grown for its amazing, Protea like flowers. The flowers produced from summer through winter comprise large, plum-red...

From$43.13
Melia azedarach tree.

Melia azedarach (Bead Tree)

Melia azedarach, commonly known as Bead Tree, White Cedar or Persian Lilac, is a fast-growing deciduous tree admired for its feathery foliage and...

From$343.89
Liriodendron tulipifera 'Fastigiata' trees with yellow foliage in autumn.

Liriodendron tulipifera 'Fastigiata' (Tulip Tree)

Liriodendron tulipifera fastigiata, also known as the Upright Tulip Tree, is a stunning deciduous tree admired for its narrow, columnar form. It...

From$432.79
cedrela-sinensis-flamingo-7

Cedrela sinensis Flamingo (Toon Tree)

Cedrela sinensis Flamingo is a highly colourful, deciduous tree featuring bright, salmon-pink foliage in spring which ages to cream-yellow, and then...

From$28.28
sorbus-scarlet-king-

Sorbus aucuparia Scarlet King (Rowan Tree NZ)

Sorbus aucuparia Scarlet King is a variety of the commonly known, Mountain Ash, and is a small-sized, deciduous with impressive characteristics...

acer-princeton-gold-

Acer platanoides Princeton Gold (Princeton Gold Maple Tree)

Acer platanoides Princeton Gold is a variety of the commonly known, Plane-Leaved Maple, and is a medium sized tree with fantastic foliage. The leaves...

From$391.14
Lagerstroemia 'Best Red' red flowers amidst dark purple foliage.

Lagerstroemia 'Best Red'

Lagerstroemia ‘Best Red’ is a standout crepe myrtle prized for its intense red summer flowers and strong upright tree form. Flowering through the...

From$358.98
magnolia-strawberry-fields-1

Magnolia Strawberry Fields (Strawberry Fields Magnolia Tree)

Magnolia Strawberry Fields is a stunning deciduous tree that bears masses of large and showy, semi-double, deep red flowers through late winter and...

From$432.79
cassia-corymbosa-john-ball-1

Cassia John Ball (Buttercup Tree)

Cassia John Ball, commonly known as the Buttercup Tree or Cassia Plant, is a large and colourful, deciduous shrub. It becomes enshrined by masses of...

From$24.23
magnolia-amethyst-flame-2

Magnolia Amethyst Flame (Amethyst Flame Magnolia Tree)

Magnolia Amethyst Flame is a smaller tree that bears masses of large and showy, bright red-purple flowers in late winter and early spring on the...

magnolia-margaret-helen-

Magnolia Margaret Helen (Magnolia Tree Margaret Helen)

Magnolia Margaret Helen is a deciduous tree that bears masses of large and showy, rose-pink flowers through late winter and early spring. These are...

From$343.89
magnolia-jc-williams-3

Magnolia JC Williams (Magnolia Tree JC Williams)

Magnolia JC Williams bears masses of large and showy, rose-purple flowers through late winter and early spring. These are borne on the naked stems...

From$343.89
Fuchsia arborescens tree with pink flowers and lush green foliage.

Fuchsia arborescens (Tree Fuchsia)

Fuchsia arborescens is an evergreen shrub favoured for its pretty flowers, which are produced almost year-round. Large and showy clusters of...

From$22.28
A large Beilschmiedia tawa (Tawa tree).

Beilschmiedia tawa (Tawa Tree)

Beilschmiedia tawa, commonly known as the Tawa Tree, is a tall and graceful evergreen native to New Zealand. It is admired for its straight trunk...

ulmus-lobel-

Ulmus Lobel (Dutch Elm Tree)

Ulmus Lobel is a variety of Dutch Elm tree grown for its colourful foliage and narrow form. The leaves emerge a fresh green colour in spring, age to...

From$343.89
Plum 'Greengage'

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Acer, Beilschmiedia, Cassia, Cedrela, Coprosma, Crassula, Dacrydium, Fuchsia, Lagerstroemia, Leucadendron, Liriodendron, Loropetalum, Magnolia, Melia, Metrosideros, Plum, Sequoiadendron Sorbus and Ulmus, or related Categories - Plum Trees, Deciduous Shrubs, Evergreen Shrubs, Succulents, Deciduous Trees, Evergreen Trees Magnolia Trees and Maple Tree.

Search best plum tree nz

Why Grow Plums in New Zealand?

Plum trees thrive in most parts of New Zealand, producing reliably even in cooler regions. They offer strong growth, modest size, and stunning spring blossoms that attract bees. With the right selection, you can enjoy a plum harvest from early summer right through autumn.

Top Varieties for New Zealand Gardens

Discovering the best plum tree NZ has to offer depends on your flavour preference, intended use, and local climate. Here are some top choices favoured by Kiwi gardeners:

Plum Hawera

Renowned for its sweet, yellow-fleshed fruit and strong cropping, Plum Hawera is ideal for fresh eating and preserves. Hardy and self-fertile, this variety is a standout for both beginner and experienced growers.

Plum McLean

The Plum McLean is a reliable choice for consistent harvests. It produces medium-sized, red-skinned fruit with juicy, sweet flesh. Perfect for eating straight from the tree or using in desserts, this variety is prized for its flavour and robustness.

Plum 'Greengage'

For those who adore old-fashioned, aromatic plums, Plum 'Greengage' holds a special spot among connoisseurs. The small, green, honey-sweet fruit is excellent for eating, baking, and making jams. This heritage favourite offers a unique taste seldom found in supermarkets.

Plum Heard

Plum Heard is another trusted option when searching for the best plum tree NZ wide. It delivers large, reddish fruit with firm, golden flesh. Heard is especially suited to cooler areas and has good disease resistance, making it a low-maintenance yet high-output choice.

Plum Omega

If you want versatility, Plum Omega is a star performer. The clingstone fruit is bold in flavour, with red skin and yellow-orange flesh. Excellent for bottling, baking, and eating fresh, Omega is a staple in Kiwi home orchards.

Tips for Success with Plum Trees

To find the best plum tree NZ gardeners enjoy, consider your local conditions—sunlight, frost risk, and available space. Most plums prefer well-drained soil, annual pruning, and a pollination partner (unless marked self-fertile). Planting multiple varieties can extend your harvest and improve pollination for bigger crops.

Start Your Orchard

Choosing the best plum tree NZ has to offer means better fruit, healthier trees, and a more rewarding garden. Explore varieties like Plum Hawera, Plum McLean, Plum 'Greengage', Plum Heard, and Plum Omega to find your perfect match. With just a little care, you’ll enjoy beautiful blossom displays and delicious homegrown plums every season.


Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

Gardenia radicans and Azalea Pink Ice are tried and true, but new favourites like Acer palmatum 'Burgundy Lace', Salvia corrugata, and Callistemon 'White Anzac' (White Bottlebrush) are just waiting to be discovered.
–The Plant Company

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