Mariposa Plum

Mariposa Plum (Prunus salicina 'Mariposa') is the blood plum worth giving space to: deep red flesh, low acid and sweet enough to eat straight off the tree. It makes a rounded deciduous tree of about 4m tall and 3.5m wide, or an easy 3m with summer pruning. White blossom covers the bare branches in late winter, and the leaves colour before they drop in autumn.

Why you'll love it

• Fruit that earns the space. Large red fleshed plums ripening through summer, sweet and low in acid, and they hold their colour in jam.
• Small enough for a suburban block. Left alone it sits around 4m, and summer pruning holds it at 3m without costing you the crop.
• Three seasons of interest. Blossom in late winter, fruit through summer, then autumn colour before the branches go bare.
• It feeds the bees. Early blossom opens when little else is out, which draws pollinators to the rest of the garden.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A single plum earns a place on a lawn or at the end of a path, because it looks different in every season rather than only producing fruit.

Small gardens. Prune it as an open vase to about 3m and it fits a courtyard. If you have room for a second Japanese plum within about 15m, plant one, because the crop improves noticeably.

Pots and containers. A container of 100L or larger with sharp drainage holds it at roughly 2m to 2.5m. Watering has to stay consistent through summer or the fruit drops early.

Growing Mariposa Plum in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, at least six hours, with shelter from strong wind at blossom time. It is frost hardy and suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it needs a genuine winter chill to crop well. In tropical and subtropical gardens it flowers unreliably, so it is not the pick for northern growers.

Soil. Deep, well drained loam with compost worked through the planting area. It will not tolerate waterlogging, so mound the bed on heavy clay. Mulch 75mm deep and keep it clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers, and hold the water steady while fruit is swelling. Feed a complete fertiliser in late winter before bud burst, and again after harvest.

Pruning. Prune in summer once the fruit is off rather than in winter, which lowers disease risk and controls size. Open the centre to light, remove crossing wood, and shorten the leaders to the height you want.

What to expect when it arrives

This plum is sold as advanced stock in a 100L pot, so you are buying a formed trunk and framework rather than a whip, with fruit possible in the first or second season. It is deciduous, so between late autumn and late winter it arrives bare or nearly bare. That is dormancy, not damage.

Trees are delivered Australia wide, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Delivery starts from $29.95, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Expect the roots to take a full season to settle before the tree puts on real growth.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare varieties in the fruit tree collection
• Fruit trees for every season
• Learn the basics in pruning for beginners
• Browse more edible plants

Common questions

Do I need a second tree to get fruit?

Not strictly, since Mariposa is partly self fertile. It crops far more heavily with another Japanese plum flowering nearby, so plant a partner if you have the room.

Can I keep it at 3m?

Yes. Summer pruning after harvest holds it comfortably at 3m and keeps the fruit within reach from the ground.

Is any part of it a risk to pets or children?

The flesh is fine to eat, but the leaves and the stones contain cyanogenic compounds and should not be chewed. Pick up windfall fruit if a dog in the household eats what it finds.