Prunus salicina 'Methley' (Semi Dwarf Japanese Plum)

Prunus salicina 'Methley' is a cultivar of Japanese plum characterized by its medium-sized rounded fruit with red or yellow skin and red flesh, which is juicy and sweet and perfect for eating fresh or turning into preserves.

The semi-dwarf variety of 'Methley' grows to 8-15' tall and wide, although some varieties may grow smaller or taller since height is dependent on rootstock. 'Methley' produces fragrant white-pink flowers between in early to mid season, with fruit maturing by late June to July; while some plum varieties need lots of cold hours below 40°F to successfully fruit in the spring, 'Methley' is a heat tolerant species and fruits well even in mild winters, requiring only 150 hours in conditions at or below 40°F. Prunus salicina 'Methley' is self-fertile, so it doesn't necessarily need a pollinating partner, but it is  still recommended to plant this plum with another early to mid season plum variety, like 'Satsuma' to increase fruit yield.

'Methley' plum does well in a variety of soil types, but excels in fertile, well-draining loam that's kept moist but not wet. Flowers are attractive to a variety of pollinators, butterflies produce offspring within trees, and fruits attract a variety of wildlife too! Adding Prunus salicina 'Methley' as a specimen tree is a great way to support the local ecosystem and all of your plum-loving friends and family too, since one tree can produce over 50 pounds of plums at maturity!