Temperate Fruit & Orchards > Temperate Fruit Discussion

Klamath plum

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gordonh1:
Who has grown Klamath plum, Prunus subcordata? There must be people in Oregon or California who are growing this species and maybe have selections. In the wild, fruit quality varies greatly, so it's important to select and propagate desirable varieties of this species.

I'm interested in American wild plums, but many/most species are not adapted to the maritime climate. Here's an interesting overview of the native North American plum species:
https://heppy.org/wild-plum/

"This specialist grows along the US West Coast.  it grows in forests and near the ocean!  It’s the only wild plum growing in Pacific US states, so identification is simpler.  In August-September you can find good sized fruit, colored red / purple-red which also taste good!"

SoCal2warm:
This is not from personal experience, but from what I've read, the fruit are much more tart and less sweet than regular plums, often with a slight bit of astringency (but this is not necessarily bad, it can play a role in the flavor). One person described the fruits as "quite delicious and flavorful", but that could probably also even be said of Prunus cerasifera (considered a lower quality wild plum). All that proves is it's possible for these plums to be enjoyed. It doesn't necessarily mean anything about how these plums compare to ordinary plums. Apparently the yellow-orange flesh easily peels away from the pit. The tree species is also said to be more drought tolerant than other plums.

The fruits are rather small and, with the pit in there, not a large amount of edible flesh.

This is a post that appeared on Permies.com from Nathan Watson:
"My own local wild plums (prunus subcordata) taste delicious, just like regular plums, only they're a bit smaller. ...  Mature trees even have thorns on the larger branches, to protect the tree from deer."
https://permies.com/t/160327/plums/Plum-Tree-North-Alabama

You may also find this interesting:
https://illustratedplantnut.blogspot.com/2015/08/native-fruits-of-california.html
Here are a few excerpts, in case the link eventually stops working:
"The California wild plum [Prunus subcordata] ... It was early noticed that there are at least two varieties of the species. ... One variety is round, and sometimes nearly an inch in diameter; the other, a little smaller, oblong, and almost the shape and color of a Damson when ripe. ... both are esteemed by Indians and whites. ... Early efforts were made to domesticate these wild plums, and they showed themselves susceptible of improvement by cultivation to a certain extent. ...  Transplanted from the mountains into the valley they are found to ripen earlier ... Transplanted from the mountains to a farm near the coast, in Del Norte County, they did not thrive ... One variety, moved from the hills near Petaluma, in 1858, was grown as an orchard tree for fifteen years, and improved both in growth and quality of fruit by cultivation [Pacific Rural Press, Vol. IV, p. 163]. Recently excellent results have been reported from the domestication of the native plum in Nevada County, and fruit shown at the State fair of 1888 gave assurance that by cultivation and by selecting seedlings valuable varieties can be obtained. It is stated [Letter from S. B. Davidson, Downieville] that in Sierra County the wild plum is the only plum which finds a market at good prices and that cultivated gages, blue and egg plums scarcely pay for gathering. The wild plum makes delicious preserves."

[on the Middle Yuba River, not far from Forest City, in Sierra County] "... we find the 'Plum-Valley Ranch', J.B. Bope, proprietor. Here [...] being almost surrounded with hills far higher, and there being great quantities of wild plums growing on and about the place, it is called 'Plum Valley.'
The native plum also acknowledges the hand of cultivation, by making a more vigorous growth, and larger fruit. It is not uninteresting to contemplate this indigenous fruit, as a worthy competitor for flavor among our best varieties of gages and damsons."
[Report California Agricultural Society, 1858, p. 183].


You could try Sevenoaks nursery near Corvallis, Oregon.

BP:
That is all very interesting, I learned a lot. Thanks! If you find any seed sources lemme know I would love to grow those

Lyn38:
seeds
https://klamathsiskiyouseeds.com/product/prunus-subcordata-klamath-plum/

BP:

--- Quote from: Lyn38 on October 12, 2025, 11:37:40 PM ---seeds
https://klamathsiskiyouseeds.com/product/prunus-subcordata-klamath-plum/

--- End quote ---

Thanks, I'm on the waitlist haha

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