Plum, Shiro, Bare Root

Shiro Plum (Prunus salicina ‘Shiro’)

Shiro bears bright yellow plums with a mild sweet flavor and plenty of juice. It is useful for starting the plum harvest and as a compatible pollen source within a Japanese-type plum planting.

Key Characteristics

Golden fruit with an approachable flavor

The round yellow plums are juicy and relatively mild. Enjoy them fresh or turn the harvest into jam and sauce.

An early harvest in the plum season

Shiro generally ripens ahead of many dark Japanese plums. Fruit can soften quickly, so check the tree often as color develops.

Heavy crops benefit from a little editing

Shiro may set some fruit alone but crops more reliably with compatible pollen. Thin crowded clusters early to improve fruit size and protect branches.

Pollination Partners

Self-fertile; a second tree is not required. For a broader harvest, consider A.U. Rosa, Elephant Heart. Cross-pollination depends on overlapping bloom, not matching harvest months.

Rootstock and Mature Size

Plan for approximately 15–20 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 15–20 feet; see rootstock and pruning guidance above.
• Bloom: Early to mid-spring; white flowers.
• Fruit: Bright yellow plums with soft, juicy flesh and a mild sweet flavor.
• Uses: Fresh eating, jam, sauce, and preserves.
• Ripening: June–July
• Chill hours: Approximately 400–500 hours.
• Pollination: Partly self-fruitful; cross-pollination improves reliability.
• USDA hardiness: Zones 5–9.

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.