Queen Rosa Plum Tree

Queen Rosa Plum Tree Overview

The Queen Rosa plum tree is a Japanese plum variety which is one of the cultivars developed as mutations from the famous Santa Rosa plum tree. In fact it is more productive than the Santa Rosa in the east. Moreover these trees produces delicious dark red plums with radiant white flowers in the spring. Not only is the fruit delicious, very juicy, clingstone, and perfectly sweet, but it is also perfect for cooking/preserving as well as eating off the tree. If you would like to cook with them, they are great for tarts and pies since they release a great tangy flavor.

Moreover these plums will ripen 5-7 days after Santa Rosa In fact, Luther Burbank, a legendary horticulturist developed the parent variety, Santa Rosa, in Burbank California in the late 1800’s. USDA released this Santa Rosa mutation afterwards. Contrary to their name, Japanese plums actually originated in China. They were then brought to the US through Japan in the 1800’s. Compared to the European varieties, Japanese varieties are juicier, and not quite as sweet.

Just like any other plum tree, the Shiro plum tree grows best in full sun with well-drained, loamy soil. While it can grow well in hardiness zones 5-10, it does especially well in places with cool but not cold winters and long, warm, and dry summers. Additionally, it needs around 400-500 chill hours which are the average hours of air temperature between 32° and 45° F in a typical winter season. When it blooms, it will decorate the landscape with a bouquet of aromatic, white blossoms. If you would like more information on how to plant and grow this tree, see our guide.

Growing Characteristics

• Uses: Eating fresh, canning, cooking, deserts
• Taste: Mildly sweet, very juicy, firm, clingstone. When cooked, has delicious tangy flavor.
• Size: Medium with a round shape
• Color: Dark red-purple
• Type: Japanese
• Hardiness Zones: 5-9
• Harvest period: Ripens five to seven days after Santa Rosa
• Pollination: In order for it to bear lots of fruit, we recommend growing this variety with Santa Rosa Japanese plum tree or with another Japanese variety such as Fortune.
• Cultivation: This plum tree grows best in full sun with loamy well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-7.0. Additionally Queen Rosa plum trees will bear about three years after planting and are more productive than Santa Rosa.