Santa Rosa Plum Tree

Santa Rosa Plum is a classic Japanese plum known for its attractive purple-red fruit, colorful red flesh, and rich sweet-tart flavor. It has long been a popular home-orchard plum and can be enjoyed fresh or used for preserves, jams, jellies, desserts, and other recipes.

Santa Rosa requires considerably more winter chill than the Gulf-series plums we recommend first for the Florida Panhandle. Because of its approximately 650-hour chilling requirement and greater susceptibility to disease in Florida's warm, humid climate, we consider Santa Rosa a specialty or cooler-climate plum rather than one of our preferred North Florida varieties.

Plant Details

• Plant Type: Deciduous fruit tree; Japanese plum
• Botanical Name: Prunus salicina ‘Santa Rosa’
• Mature Size: Approximately 15–20 feet tall and wide; can be maintained smaller with regular pruning
• Sun: Full sun, ideally 6–8+ hours daily
• USDA Zones: Generally Zones 5–9 where adequate winter chill is received
• Chill Hours: Approximately 650 hours
• Bloom: Early spring
• Harvest: Early to mid-summer; timing varies with location and seasonal weather
• Fruit: Purple-red skin with red to reddish flesh
• Flavor: Rich, juicy, sweet-tart flavor
• Pollination: Self-fertile, but planting another compatible plum nearby can improve fruit set and overall production
• Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil; slightly acidic soil is preferred
• Water: Water regularly while establishing and during extended dry periods; avoid waterlogged locations
• Pruning: Train to an open-center shape to improve sunlight, airflow, fruit quality, and ease of harvest
• Landscape Uses: Home orchard, edible landscape, backyard fruit garden

Pollination

Santa Rosa is considered self-fertile, meaning one tree can produce fruit without another plum variety nearby.

However, fruit set and overall yields can often be improved by planting another compatible Japanese plum with overlapping bloom time. When space allows, we recommend planting more than one compatible plum variety.

North Florida Growing Note

Santa Rosa is not one of our preferred plum varieties for the Florida Panhandle.

It requires approximately 650 chill hours, which may not be reached consistently in warmer winters in our area. It is also more susceptible to plum leaf scald and other bacterial diseases under Florida growing conditions.

Customers in North Florida and the Florida Panhandle who want the most dependable plum production should consider our lower-chill Gulf-series varieties first, including:

• Gulf Beauty
• Gulf Blaze
• Gulf Rose

Santa Rosa may be a better choice for customers in colder portions of the Southeast, including locations that reliably receive its required winter chill.

Wholesale Availability

Wholesale availability may vary by size and season. Contact Advanced Nursery Growers LLC for current quantities and wholesale pricing.

Limited Shipping Available on Select Plants — Contact Us Before Ordering

Local pickup is available for most plants and trees. Limited shipping may be available for select persimmon trees, liners, and smaller plants. Shipping charges are calculated separately and may vary based on plant size, quantity, destination, and packaging requirements.

Please contact us before ordering if shipping is required so we can confirm availability and provide the shipping cost.

Advanced Nursery Growers LLC
1911 McLeod Road
DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435
Phone: 850-391-2228
Email: info@advancednurserygrowers.com
Website: www.AdvancedNurseryGrowers.com