Santa Rosa Plum Tree

Prunus salicina 'Santa Rosa'

Nature Hills Nursery

Self-Fertile Santa Rosa Plum Produces Juicy, Sweet Fruit Without a Pollinator Tree
Thrives in Zones 5-9
Native, Pollinator-Friendly - Attracts Butterflies
Showy Pink, White Blooms in Late Spring
Perfect for Flowering Specimen in Butterfly Gardens

$119³⁶

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Plant Size

Product variants

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

Sunlight: Provide at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily to ensure fruit sweetness and high yields. While the tree survives in partial shade, you will notice fewer blossoms and a significant decrease in fruit production.
Soil: This tree prefers well-drained, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. For heavy clay, plant in a raised mound or add organic compost to improve drainage, as "wet feet" or standing water will lead to root rot.

Watering Requirements

During the first two growing seasons, provide 10 to 15 gallons of water per week to help the root system expand. Once established, the Santa Rosa is quite drought-tolerant, but you should still provide deep soakings during heat waves to prevent fruit drop or shriveled plums. Inconsistent moisture during the fruiting stage often causes the skin of the plums to crack as they swell too quickly.

Pruning Tips

Santa Rosa plums fruit on "spurs" located on wood that is two years or older, so avoid removing all older growth. The best time to prune is late winter while the tree is dormant to shape the canopy into an open center, which allows light and air to reach the middle of the tree. This "open bowl" shape prevents fungal diseases and ensures that the fruit in the center of the tree ripens at the same rate as the fruit on the outside.

Fertilizer Needs

Apply a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer in early spring just as the buds begin to swell to fuel the upcoming growth spurt. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers after midsummer because this encourages tender new growth that cannot harden off before the first frost. This late-season growth is easily damaged by winter temperatures and leaves the tree vulnerable to pests in the spring.

Delivery and Shipping

Shipping Rates

Ships in 7-10 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50	$9.99
$50 - $99.99	$14.99
$100 - $149.99	$16.99
$150 - $198.99	$24.99
$199+	FREE

✓ Zone-specific timing • ✓ Professional packaging • ✓ Health guarantee

Understanding Our Container Sizes

At Nature Hills, our plants are sold in industry-standard nursery containers. You will notice we use the word "container" rather than "gallon." Container numbers follow a nursery trade size standard, not liquid volume. The number tells you the plant's size category and general maturity level. A larger container means a more established plant with a stronger root system.

Container Sizes

Quart

Plant age: 6 months to 1 year
Best for: Ground covers, perennials, ornamental grasses
What to expect: Our smallest and most affordable size. Well-suited for planting in multiples across a large area. Allow 1 to 2 seasons for full establishment.

#1 Container

Plant age: 1 to 2 years
Best for: Shrubs, perennials, smaller trees
What to expect: About the size of a large coffee can. A well-developed root system in a manageable size. Good value choice when you have time to let the plant grow into the space over a season or two.

#2 Container

Plant age: 2 to 3 years
Best for: Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment
What to expect: A noticeable step up from a #1 in both plant size and root development. Good choice when you want visible presence without going to a larger size.

#3 Container

Plant age: 3 to 4 years
Best for: Most plants, most situations — flowering trees, shade trees, evergreen shrubs
What to expect: Our most popular size. Strong, developed root system. Plants in a #3 container make an immediate visual impact from day one. If you want a head start rather than waiting seasons for a plant to fill in, this is typically the right choice.

#5 Container and Larger

Plant age: 4 to 5+ years
Best for: Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact
What to expect: Large, mature plants ready to make an immediate statement in your landscape. We also carry #7 and larger sizes for select varieties.

Why "Container" and Not "Gallon"?

Nursery container sizes follow an industry trade standard established for the nursery and horticulture industry. The number is a size designation, not a measurement of liquid volume. Actual soil volume varies by plant type, root mass, and growing medium. Using "container" is the accurate industry term. When you see #1, #2, or #3, think of it as the plant's size tier, not a gallon measurement.

Root Pouch Containers

Some Nature Hills plants arrive in a Root Pouch, a breathable fabric container made from 100% recycled materials. Root Pouches encourage denser root development through air pruning, which discourages root circling and promotes a stronger, more fibrous root ball at the time of planting.

Plants growing in Root Pouch fabric containers, showing the breathable woven fabric construction

There are two types. Knowing which one you have changes how you plant:

Degradable (brown or tan fabric): Plant the entire pouch directly in the ground. The fabric breaks down naturally in the soil over time.
Non-degradable (black or gray fabric): Remove the pouch before planting. Cut the bottom open with scissors, then peel the sides away. The fibrous root ball will hold its shape.

Not sure which type you have? Check the tag on your plant or contact us and we will confirm.

Full Root Pouch planting guide

Choosing the Right Size

Size	Plant Age	Best For
Quart	6 mo to 1 yr	Ground covers, perennials, grasses. Budget-friendly for mass plantings.
#1 Container	1 to 2 yrs	Shrubs, perennials, small trees. Value choice for patient gardeners.
#2 Container	2 to 3 yrs	Shrubs and trees where you want faster establishment.
#3 Container	3 to 4 yrs	Most plants. Immediate visual impact. Our most popular size.
#5 and larger	4+ yrs	Specimen plants, privacy screens, maximum instant impact.

Still not sure which size is right for your project? Our plant specialists are happy to help. Contact us and we will point you in the right direction.

Plant specifications
Plant Characteristics	Cold hardy, Self-pollinating, Flowering, Edible, Ornamental Berries/Fruit, Thornless, Attracts pollinators, Disease resistant, Fast-growing
Hardiness Zone	5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Sunlight	Full sun
Height	15-25 ft
Width	12-20 ft
Watering Needs	Moderate
Preferred Soil	Loamy
Growth Rate	Moderate
Blooms In	Spring
Flower Color	Pink, White
Fragrant	Yes
Native	Yes
Suitable Space	Outdoors
Plant Name	Cherry
Botanical Name	Prunus salicina 'Santa Rosa'
Species	salicina
Cultivar	Santa Rosa
Class	Magnoliopsida
Does Not Ship To	AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, OR, PR, WA

Heat-Tolerant Gorgeous Juicy Fruit - Santa Rosa Plum Tree!

Delicious Healthful Fruit
Gorgeous Red-Hued Purple Skin
Sweet Amber Yellow Flesh
Fragrant Pinkish-White Spring Flowers
Late Mid-Season
Dependable Harvest Year After Year
Hardy, Heat-Tolerant
Self-Fertile
Healthy Versatile Jewels
Full Sun!

Treat yourself to in-season Plums in arms reach, when you plant or Santa Rosa Plum Tree (Prunus 'Santa Rosa') in your yard. First introduced right here in the United States by Luther Burbank, in 1906 in Santa Rosa, California!

This variety is a deciduous, fruit-bearing tree that offers a dependable and delicious harvest each year. Plant one where you can readily enjoy its beautiful blossoms and its gorgeous, juicy fruit.

Watch each spring as the Santa Rosa Plum's fabulously fragrant spring blooms, in frilly white flowers with a pink blush, make their way into your landscape. You'll create a visual spectacle that will have the whole neighborhood jealous.

Enjoy the show while you can; by late July or early August, those blossoms will give way to lovely Plums, ripe for the taking. Santa Rosa Japanese Plums are beautiful to behold, with red-hued, purple skin concealing a layer of red blush, then sweet, yellow flesh surrounding the center clingstone pit.

How to Use Santa Rosa Plum Tree

Your Santa Rosa Plum Tree will produce medium-large, slightly firm fruits that are ideal for fresh-eating right off the tree. Slice them for inclusion in a fruit salad, or add them to a fruit snack plate.

These beautiful Plums are also perfect for canning, freezing, cooking, drying, so you can easily preserve some of your bounty for enjoying later on in the year or sharing with others as gifts. Santa Rosa's firm flesh has amazing flavor! It is sweet with a slightly tangy edge, perfect for a wide variety of uses.

Edible landscaping is all the rage, so remember these gorgeous trees serve double duty as both an ornamental flowering tree that just happens to also grow healthful fruit! Plum leaves are lush and also have great fall color. Even the branching is ornate and provides winter interest!

Faster growing and vigorous, these trees are amazingly heat resistant and do great up to USDA growing zones 9, while being cold hardy down to zone 5! A great size for both a front yard accent tree and for easy use in the orchard!

#ProPlantTips For Care

All fruit trees do their best in full sun, at least 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sunlight. This gives you the highest amount of blooms and therefore the most fruit and the best tasting Plums possible.

Needing ample access to moisture, especially during fruit formation, Plums prefer well-drained soils. A generous layer of mulch helps retain soil moisture as well as insulate the root system from heat and chill.

Santa Rosa Plum Tree is a relatively hardy tree, adaptable to a variety of soils and heat tolerant. It's even self-fruitful, so you don't need to have more than one to enjoy a healthy harvest. Santa Rosa only requires about 300-500 chill hours a year to fruit.

However, you will get more fruit production when planted with other Japanese varieties as pollinator partners. Try Methley or Burgundy to amplify your harvest.

Santa Rosa is an old favorite among Plum lovers and still one of the most often grown. A pretty tree, especially during the spring and late summer growing seasons, Santa Rosa a great investment in something that is both useful and beautiful. Order yours today!

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Arrived in great shape and good condition

Arrived in great shape and good condition, it is doing well, drooping a little but I think that is getting adjusted to the new environment

Hi Roger,

Thank you so much for your review! We're happy to hear that your Santa Rosa Plum Tree arrived in great shape and is doing well in its new environment. It is completely normal for trees to take some time to adjust. In the meantime, make sure to give it plenty of water and sunlight. If you ever have any questions, our plant health experts can be reached at support@naturehills.com. Keep up the great gardening - Nature Hills Customer Support

Health tree

Health tree

Hello Mary,

Thank you so much for your brief but meaningful review! We're delighted to hear you’re loving your healthy tree from Nature Hills. If you ever have any questions about your tree’s care or want tips on how to keep it thriving, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here to support you in nurturing your green space.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Beautiful

Looks Great. Branches were in great shape, The package were done with care.

Hello Jay,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback! We're thrilled to hear that your branches arrived in great shape and that the packaging met your expectations. We take pride in delivering healthy plants with care, and your kind words really encourage us to keep it up.

If you ever have any questions about planting or want tips to help your new greenery flourish, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re always here to support your garden’s growth!

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

Good sized tree

Came in good shape,hopefully it will grow to be a nice fruit tree!

Dear Rosalina,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your new tree! We're delighted to hear it arrived in good shape, and we’re equally excited about watching it grow into a thriving, fruitful addition to your garden. Fruit trees tend to respond really well with regular watering, proper sunlight, and some seasonal fertilizing, so if you’ve got any questions as it matures, don’t hesitate to reach out.

In the meantime, you might find our [Fruit Tree Care Guide](https://www.naturehills.com/fruit-tree-care) helpful for tips on pruning, watering schedules, and protecting your tree from pests. Watching your tree flourish will be a wonderful journey, and we're honored to be a part of it.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Good sized tree

Came in good shape,hopefully it will grow to be a nice fruit tree!

Hello Rosalina,

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with your new tree! We’re delighted to hear that it arrived in good condition, and we share in your hope that it will grow into a beautiful, bountiful fruit tree for you. To help your tree thrive, be sure to provide it with plenty of sunlight, regular watering (keeping soil moist but not waterlogged), and consider mulching around the base to retain moisture. If you’d like more personalized tips on care based on the specific variety, feel free to reach out anytime!

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

Frequently Asked Questions

What USDA planting zones is the Santa Rosa Plum Tree suitable for?

The Santa Rosa Plum Tree thrives in USDA zones 5-9, handling both cold winters and hot summers well. This heat-tolerant variety is particularly suited for warmer climates. Check your specific zone and ensure full sun exposure for best fruit production.

How big will the Santa Rosa Plum Tree get at maturity?

Santa Rosa Plum Trees typically reach 15-20 feet tall and wide at maturity. These self-fertile trees develop a rounded canopy that provides excellent shade while producing fruit. Plan for adequate spacing when planting, available at naturehills.com.

What are the care requirements for the Santa Rosa Plum Tree, like soil and sun?

Santa Rosa Plum Trees thrive in full sun with well-draining soil. They're heat-tolerant and hardy, making them adaptable to various growing conditions. Plant in a location with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal fruit production and flowering.

How hardy is the Santa Rosa Plum Tree in cold climates?

Santa Rosa Plum Trees are hardy and heat-tolerant, though specific cold hardiness zones aren't listed in the available information. This Japanese plum variety was developed in California and thrives in full sun conditions. Check your local hardiness zone requirements before planting to ensure success in your climate.

Can the Santa Rosa Plum Tree be grown in a container or pot?

Santa Rosa Plum Trees can be grown in large containers with proper care and regular watering. Choose a pot at least 20-24 inches wide with drainage holes. You'll need to protect container plants in winter and may see reduced fruit production compared to ground-planted trees.

What kind of pruning does the Santa Rosa Plum Tree need?

Santa Rosa Plum Trees need annual dormant season pruning in late winter before bud break. Remove dead, diseased, or crossing branches, and thin overcrowded areas to improve air circulation. Prune lightly to maintain shape and encourage fruit production on younger wood.

Is the Santa Rosa Plum Tree low-chill and suitable for warmer zones?

The Santa Rosa Plum is heat-tolerant and hardy, making it well-suited for warmer growing zones. This self-fertile variety was originally developed in California and thrives in full sun conditions. Plant it where it will receive plenty of heat and sunlight for the best fruit production.

Santa Rosa Plum Tree

Prunus salicina 'Santa Rosa'