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what is the best plum tree to buy

If you’re searching for what is the best plum tree to buy for your garden or orchard, you’re not alone. Plums are among the most rewarding fruit trees you can grow in New Zealand, providing an abundant harvest, beautiful spring blossoms, and the joy of home-grown fruit for eating fresh, preserving, or baking. The best plum tree to buy depends on your climate, available space, and flavour preferences, but there are tried-and-true favourites that stand out for their reliability, productivity, and taste.

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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.

From $432.79

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-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 in spring and give rise to the fruit in summer. This deciduous tree grows with a vase shape to about 5 m tall and 3 m wide, performing best when planted in full sun on a well-drained, sheltered site. The Santa Rosa plum tree is commonly planted for fruit production and makes for a lovely specimen or inclusion into a mixed planting.

From $343.89

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 '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...

From$295.19
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
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...

From$432.79
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$343.89
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...

From$299.92
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
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$299.92
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
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
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
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
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...

From$343.89
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
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
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
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
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
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...

From$277.74
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...

From$299.92
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
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
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
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-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
chiranthodendron-pentadactylon-2

Chiranthodendron pentadactylon (Monkeys Hand Tree)

Commonly known as the Monkeys Hand Tree, this is an evergreen tree grown for its flowers and stature. Amidst the lush, green foliage are borne showy...

From$146.79
schinus-molle-3

Schinus molle (California Pepper Tree)

Schinus molle, commonly known as the California Pepper Tree, is an evergreen tree grown for its attractive form and foliage. The leaves are bright...

From$299.92
schefflera-arboricola-

Schefflera arboricola (Dwarf Umbrella Tree)

The Schefflera arboricola plant, commonly known as the Dwarf Umbrella Tree, is an evergreen shrub commonly grown as a houseplant. The foliage is mid...

From$26.93
fruiting-plant-fertiliser-

Fruit Tree Fertiliser (Fruit Tree Fertiliser)

Fruiting plants respond well to fruit tree fertiliser with better quality produce, higher yields, and a much healthier and brighter looking plant...

From$12.50
Plum Hawera

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Acer, Beilschmiedia, Cedrela, Chiranthodendron, Coprosma, Dacrydium, Lagerstroemia, Leucadendron, Liriodendron, Loropetalum, Magnolia, Melia, Plum, Schefflera, Schinus, Sequoiadendron Sorbus and Ulmus, or related Categories - General Garden Fertiliser, Plum Trees, Indoor Plants, Deciduous Shrubs, Evergreen Shrubs, Deciduous Trees, Evergreen Trees Magnolia Trees and Maple Tree.

Search what is the best plum tree to buy

Choosing the Best Plum Variety for Your Garden

The first step when deciding what is the best plum tree to buy is considering your region and your gardening goals. Some plums are better suited to cooler areas, while others thrive in warmer microclimates. Many plums benefit from cross-pollination, so planting more than one compatible variety can ensure larger yields.

Among the most popular options is the Plum Santa Rosa, loved for its large, juicy fruit and sweet-tart flavour. Santa Rosa is partially self-fertile, making it a fantastic choice if you have room for just one plum tree.

For those seeking a classic New Zealand favourite, Plum Hawera is renowned for its heavy crops of rich, red-skinned fruit with a vibrant, tangy-sweet taste. Hawera plums are fantastic for eating fresh or making jams and chutneys.

Unique Plum Trees for Your Collection

If you’re a fruit enthusiast who loves to experiment, or you want a talking point in the orchard, consider rarer plum varieties. The golden, apricot-sized Plum Mirabelle is a French delicacy prized for its honeyed sweetness and is ideal for fresh eating or desserts.

Another gourmet favourite is the Plum 'Greengage', valued for its superbly sweet green fruit perfect for eating straight from the tree or using in tarts and preserves.

If space is limited but you can’t decide, a dual grafted option like the Plum Black Doris and Billington offers the best of both worlds—two outstanding tasting plums on a single tree, extending your fruiting season and maximising harvest potential.

Tips for Choosing and Growing Plum Trees

When considering what is the best plum tree to buy, also think about your site conditions, cross-pollination partners, and desired harvest period. All plums need full sun, free-draining soil, and regular water through the warm months. Mulching helps conserve moisture and suppress weeds, while annual pruning encourages healthy growth and fruit sets.

Whether you’re planting a robust Plum Hawera or adding a rare Plum Mirabelle to your collection, choosing the best variety for your space ensures years of beautiful blossoms and delicious fruit. With so many exceptional plum trees available, finding what is the best plum tree to buy has never been more rewarding.

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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.

Illustration of plant leaves.
Our garden favourites Stromanthe Triostar (Stromanthe Plant) and Corokia 'Frosted Chocolate' get lots of love, but don’t miss out on a few lesser-known delights: Feijoa 'Opal Star', Gaura So White, and Cuphea hyssopifolia alba.
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