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Fruit EdibleSynonym

Prunus salicina 'Shiro'
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

plum 'Shiro'

A Japanese plum producing medium size fruit with yellow skin and flesh. For warm sheltered sites only. The white, early spring blossom is prone to frost damage and protection is usually needed. It may set some fruit on its own, but it benefits significantly from cross-pollination with another Japanese plum to set good crops. Cropping season: July

Synonyms
Prunus salicina 'Shiro'
Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
2.5–4 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer White Green Yellow
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Prunus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with showy flowers in spring, and often good autumn foliage colour. Some have edible fruit in autumn, and a few species have ornamental bark

Name status

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Tolerant of a range of soils as long as well drained, but prefers loamy, ideally slightly acidic soils pH of 6 to 6.5. Plant in a sunny, sheltered site. Flowers may be susceptible to spring frosts damage. Thin fruit if necessary. See How to grow: Plums for further cultivation details

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will largely determine the vigour of the tree

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Edible fruit
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Prune regularly depending on how the tree is trained – see pruning plums. Train fan-trained trees in spring. Pruning established fans is carried out in early summer and after harvest

Pests

May be susceptible to plum aphid, red spider mite and winter moth caterpillar. The fruit can be damaged by plum moth caterpillars, wasps and birds

Diseases

May be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus

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