Stanley Plum
Prunus 'Stanley'

Height: 20 feet
Spread: 20 feet
Sunlight: Full sun
Hardiness Zone: 5a

Description:
A widely grown commercial fruit tree prized for its fragrant white spring flowers followed by large blue fruit in late summer. Often considered one of the best prune plums, this variety combines ornamental appeal with reliable fruit production. It performs best in full sun with well-drained soil and benefits from a compatible pollinator for optimal yields.

Edible Qualities:
Stanley Plum produces violet round fruit with silvery blue overtones and golden yellow flesh. The fruit ripens in early fall and contains a hard inedible pit that must be removed before eating or processing. The flavor is sweet and juicy, making it highly versatile for culinary use.

The fruit is most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh eating
- Cooking
- Baking
- Preserves

Ornamental Features:
Stanley Plum is covered in clusters of fragrant white flowers in early spring before the foliage emerges. Forest green leaves follow and turn yellow in fall. The blue-violet fruit adds seasonal interest, though fallen fruit may require cleanup in landscape settings.

Landscape Attributes:
This deciduous tree has a rounded growth habit and an average texture that blends well into home orchards and mixed landscapes. It requires occasional maintenance and is best pruned in late winter once the risk of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristics that may warrant special consideration:
- Messy fruit drop
- Disease susceptibility

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Stanley Plum is suitable for the following landscape applications:
- Accent planting
- Orchard and edible landscaping

Planting & Growing:
Stanley Plum will reach approximately 20 feet tall and wide at maturity, with a low canopy and a typical clearance of about 4 feet from the ground. It grows at a medium rate and can live for 40 years or more under ideal conditions. A different plum variety planted nearby is recommended to improve fruit set.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers average to evenly moist soil and does not tolerate standing water. It adapts to a wide range of soil types and pH levels and is highly tolerant of urban pollution, allowing it to perform well even in inner-city environments. This variety is an interspecific hybrid.