Plum, Chickasaw, Bare Root

Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia)

A low, spreading native plum for sunny thickets and habitat edges. Its early flowers and summer fruit fit plantings where dense cover is as useful as a harvest.

Key Characteristics

An intentionally spreading plum

Chickasaw plum sends up suckers and can form a colony. Give it a defined area or mow and remove shoots along the boundary you want to keep.

Shelter plus a summer food crop

Dense stems shelter songbirds and small mammals. The foliage also supports eastern tiger swallowtail and red-spotted purple caterpillars.

Tart fruit for preserves

Yellow to red plums are useful in jelly and cooked preserves. Seedlings vary, so do not expect uniform size or dessert sweetness.

Choose a known species

This listing is Prunus angustifolia. Compare American Plum for a generally larger native plum, or Wild Plum for stock without a guaranteed species identity.

Product Details

• Plant type: Deciduous perennial shrub
• Native range: Central and southeastern North America
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Medium; Medium-Dry; Dry
• Mature height: 4–15 feet
• Bloom: March–April; White
• Fruit: Small red or yellow plums, often tart; suited to jelly, preserves, and wildlife food.
• Harvest: May–July
• Pollination: Plant multiple genetically distinct Chickasaw plum seedlings with overlapping bloom; do not rely on the unspecified Wild Plum mix as a guaranteed pollen partner.
• Hardiness: USDA zones 5–8
• Stock: Seed-grown bare root plants; choose the seedling size.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Plant promptly and keep bare roots from drying out. Water the root zone, mulch clear of the stems, and protect seedlings from mowing damage and browsing. Base fertilizer on a soil test rather than feeding automatically; if needed, our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend should be used according to its label.

Prune out black knot and damaged wood using appropriate timing. Gather spoiled fruit where harvesting matters, maintain airflow, and keep pits out of food. Avoid insecticides on open flowers.

Interested in permaculture and stacking functions? Our fruit-tree guild guide explains how to combine planting layers and roles around fruit trees.