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European plum
Habit (mature) · cogdogblog / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Limited coverage
European plum
Prunus domestica
A deciduous fruit tree of the rose family, native to Turkey and Europe and grown for its blue-to-black stone fruit. NC State describes it as a large shrub or small tree, 10-20 feet tall and wide, with an erect habit, smooth dark bark, and egg-shaped alternate leaves. Showy fragrant white flowers open in spring — it is the latest-blooming plum, which suits it to northern climates — and the fleshy 2-3 inch drupes ripen blue or black in September.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (52/100)
Focal point
Edible
Structure
Light
Full sun
Water
Consistent moisture
Mature size
120-240" tall · 240" apart
Hardy in zones
4a-9b
very cold to frosty winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Warm
cool to warm summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Eastern tiger swallowtail — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
✓
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Where this plant fits
Suitable across 41 ecoregions — 40 climate-resilient through 2070 · 1 suited today. Best matches first.
Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests
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Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests
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Arizona Mountains forests
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Atlantic coastal pine barrens
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Blue Mountains forests
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Canadian Aspen forests and parklands
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Central Pacific Northwest coastal forests
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Central Tallgrass prairie
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Central-Southern Cascades Forests
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Chilean Matorral
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Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). European plum (Prunus domestica). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/european-plum
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited — 18 source-backed.
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
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Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY 2.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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