Plum, Black Ice, Bare Root

Black Ice Plum (Prunus hybrid ‘Lydecker’)

Black Ice is a cold-hardy hybrid plum with dark skin, sweet red flesh, and a comparatively compact habit. It is useful for growers who want a dessert plum in a colder orchard.

Key Characteristics

Dark fruit with a sweet red center

The round plums develop dark purple to nearly black skin around red flesh. Let the fruit soften slightly and develop flavor before picking.

A smaller habit with northern breeding

Black Ice was developed at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls from cherry-plum and Japanese-plum ancestry. Its moderate size can make pruning and picking easier than on a very vigorous plum.

Toka completes the orchard plan

Black Ice needs compatible pollen and Toka is a well-established choice. Do not substitute a European prune plum simply because both trees have ‘plum’ in the name.

Pollination Partners

Cross-pollination requires a different compatible cultivar. Options in our 2027 selection include Toka. Cross-pollination depends on overlapping bloom, not matching harvest months.

Rootstock and Mature Size

Plan for approximately 10–15 feet at maturity, depending on site and pruning. The offered variant identifies the rootstock; keep the graft union above soil level and remove rootstock suckers.

Product Details

• Sun: Full sun to light partial shade; full sun is best for fruiting.
• Soil: medium to medium-dry, well-drained soil; avoid standing water.
• Mature height: Approximately 10–15 feet; see rootstock and pruning guidance above.
• Bloom: Early to mid-spring; white flowers.
• Fruit: Dark purple-black skin and sweet red flesh; dessert-quality hybrid plums.
• Uses: Fresh eating, jam, baking, and preserves.
• Ripening: July–August
• Chill hours: Published estimates differ substantially; a reliable cultivar-specific requirement has not been confirmed.
• Pollination: Cross-pollination with a compatible cultivar required.
• USDA hardiness: Zones 4–8.

General Plum Orchard Guidance

A good start

Choose well-drained soil and enough room for the mature tree. Water consistently while roots establish, mulch with space around the trunk, and keep vigorous grass and other competitors away from the young root zone.

Fertility and fruit-tree guilds

Use a soil test to guide lime and fertilizer rather than feeding heavily by default. Our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend is an optional planting supplement; keep concentrated fertilizer away from bare roots and avoid excess nitrogen.

Interested in permaculture and stacking functions around your fruit trees? Explore our fruit-tree guild guide for ideas on combining plants for flowers, ground cover, and mulch while giving your tree room to grow.

Practical pest and disease care

Thin crowded fruit to improve size and protect branches, prune for airflow in dry weather, and remove fallen or mummified fruit. Monitor for brown rot, plum curculio, and black knot where it occurs. Early sanitation and fruit bags where practical can reduce problems; protect bees during bloom.