Empress Plum Tree

Empress Plum Tree Overview

Empress is a European type plum. It is a cross between President and Emily. Tree is a vigorous and productive that bears delicious semi-cling large fruit. Additionally the plums store very well, up to eight weeks. Moreover, the skin of the fruit is a beautiful blue/violet color and its blooms are white. The fruit is firm, sweet, and juicy with a yellow flesh. Although this tree is not self-fertile, most European plum varieties can pollinate Empress, for instance, Italian, President, Stanley, and Vision.

Just like any other plum tree, the Empress plum tree grows best in full sun with well-drained soil. Additionally, it grows well in hardiness zones 5 to 8. If you would like more information on how to plant and grow this tree, see our guides.

Growing Characteristics

• Uses: Eating fresh, drying, canning, baking
• Taste/texture: Sweet and firm
• Size: Large fruit
• Tree height: If you grow it on standard rootstock (Myrobalan or Myrobalan 29C), these trees will reach about 16-20’ at maturity but can also be a shorter height based on how you prune. If you grow it on semi-dwarf rootstock, such as Krymsk 1, then the tree will be around 6-10’ at maturity. Additionally, the fruit will bear around 2-3 years instead of the more usual 3-5 years.
• Color: Blue/purple with white blooms, yellow flesh.
• Type: European, semi-cling
• Hardiness Zones: 5 – 8
  
• Harvest period: Ripens in late September (in upstate NY).
• Pollination: In order for it to cross-pollinate, we recommend growing this variety with Stanley plum tree or with another European plum variety.
• Cultivation: This plum tree grows best in full sun with loamy well drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Additionally it is very vigorous and productive.