American Plum Pollination

PrairieShadow

5 year old buck +
Do I need a pollinator of a different variety of plum to have my American plums produce fruit? Or just more than 1 American plum tree? Im finding conflicting info.
 
It is shown as self pollinating.
 
We have some kind of grafted( self pollinating) plum tree that has been there about 20 years. It had never produced a single plum. I planted wild plums in the back of the property 4 or 5 years ago. They wild plums produced heavy fruit last year and for the first time the grafted plum produced fruit. Not sure if the grafted plum helped pollinate the wild plums but I have to believe that the wild plums are the only reason the other tree finally had fruit. I would have to think another variety although not necessary would help.
 
Some plums are self-fertile, but I beleive most self-fertile fruit set better with a pollinator.
 
If you have 2 or more American plum seedlings, they should pollinate each other. With a single tree, grafted or seedling, producing fruit would be hit or miss. As mentioned, adding another tree should help with fruit set. That assumes they flower at the same time and the pollen is compatible between the types (american vs euro vs asian vs crosses).
 
Thanks guys. I’ll have 50 American plum trees coming this spring.
 
Is there anything that can be done to increase the size of fruit they produce? I have some maybe 12 ft tall and set fruit last year about size of thumbnail.
 
I have lots of them on the farm small thumb nail size fruit. Deer may eat them, they do for make nice thickets adding some cover.
 
Top