Plum, Black Ruby

Black Ruby Plum (Prunus salicina 'Black Ruby')

Black Ruby is a high-quality Japanese plum released by the USDA-ARS breeding program for exceptional flavor, attractive dark-colored fruit, and reliable performance in warm climates. This vigorous variety produces large, nearly black-skinned plums with firm, juicy amber flesh that offers an outstanding balance of sweetness and refreshing acidity. Its beautiful spring blossoms, dependable production, and adaptability make Black Ruby an excellent choice for home orchards, food forests, and regenerative fruit-growing systems.

Key Characteristics

Large, richly flavored fruit with striking color
Black Ruby produces medium to large plums with glossy, deep purple to nearly black skin surrounding firm amber-yellow flesh. The fruit develops a rich, sweet flavor balanced by pleasant acidity, making it excellent for fresh eating as well as baking, preserves, jams, sauces, and freezing. Its firm texture also provides good handling and storage qualities after harvest.

Dependable producer for southern orchards
Developed specifically for the southeastern United States, Black Ruby performs well in warm, humid climates where disease resistance and reliable fruit production are essential. The vigorous trees bear consistently and produce attractive, high-quality fruit with proper care and annual pruning.

Supports thriving orchard ecosystems
Masses of fragrant white blossoms emerge in early spring, attracting honey bees, mason bees, bumble bees, mining bees, and numerous native pollinators. Black Ruby fits naturally into fruit tree guilds where companion plants such as comfrey, yarrow, clover, chives, and flowering native perennials help improve soil health, attract beneficial insects, and promote natural pest management.

Beautiful ornamental tree with lasting productivity
Before the fruit develops, the tree is covered in showy white blossoms that brighten the spring landscape. Its rounded canopy and glossy foliage provide ornamental beauty throughout the growing season, while annual pruning maintains strong branch structure and encourages consistent fruit production for years to come.

Product Details

• Sun requirements: Full sun
• Soil requirements: Medium, well-drained
• Bloom time: March
• Bloom color: White
• Fruit qualities: Medium to large; deep purple-black skin; firm amber-yellow flesh; sweet with balanced acidity
• Fruit uses: Fresh eating, baking, preserves, jams, sauces, freezing
• Fruit ripening month: June
• Required chill hours: 700–800 hours
• Pollination partners: Both flower in the same early bloom window in southeastern trials; confirm overlap at your site. Black Ruby requires cross-pollination. A second tree of this same named variety does not provide cross-pollination. Suggested partners: Plumcot, Spring Satin.
• USDA Hardiness zones: 5–8

Plant Black Ruby in full sun with fertile, well-drained soil and provide annual pruning to maintain an open canopy for excellent light penetration and air circulation. Thin fruit during heavy crop years to improve fruit size and reduce limb stress. Whether grown in a backyard orchard, homestead, or food forest, Black Ruby delivers beautiful spring blooms and abundant harvests of richly flavored plums for many seasons.