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Italian Prune Plum

Prunus domestica 'Italian Prune'

Also known as Fellenberg, this European plum variety is the gold standard for drying into prunes, but fresh fruits are equally delicious with their sweet, rich flavor and firm texture. The oval, purple-blue fruits have golden flesh that's perfect for fresh eating, baking, or preserving. This productive tree is self-fertile and cold-hardy, making it an excellent choice for home orchards seeking a reliable, multipurpose plum variety.

Harvest

100-120d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun

☀️

Zones

4–9

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

10-20 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Transplant

Harvest

Transplant

Harvest

Showing dates for Italian Prune Plum in USDA Zone 7

All Zone 7 fruit-tree →

Zone Map

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Italian Prune Plum · Zones 4–9

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Easy

Spacing15-20 feet (standard), 10-12 feet (dwarf)

SoilWell-drained loam, tolerates various soil types

pH6.0-7.5

Water1 inch per week, drought tolerant once established

SeasonSpring planting, late summer harvest

FlavorSweet with mild tartness, rich and complex flavor

ColorDeep purple to blue-black skin, amber-yellow flesh

SizeSmall to medium, 1.5-2 inches long

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 4	—	June – July	—	August – September
Zone 5	—	May – July	—	August – October
Zone 6	—	May – July	—	August – October
Zone 7	—	May – June	—	July – October
Zone 8	—	April – June	—	July – November
Zone 9	—	March – May	—	June – December

Complete Growing Guide

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: High Organic Matter. Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 10 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Grafting, Root Cutting, Seed. Regions: Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

The fleshy 2-3 inch drupe matures to blue or black and has 1 seed in it. Appears in September

Type: Drupe. Length: 1-3 inches. Width: 1-3 inches.

Garden value: Edible, Showy

Harvest time: Fall

Edibility: Fruits are dried to make plums. They can also be eaten raw or cooked.

Storage & Preservation

Fresh Italian Prune Plums keep at room temperature for 3-5 days to complete ripening, then refrigerate for up to two weeks. Store in the crisper drawer in perforated plastic bags to maintain humidity while preventing moisture buildup.

For drying, this variety excels due to its low moisture content and high sugar levels. Halve and pit the plums, then dehydrate at 135°F for 18-24 hours until leathery but pliable. Properly dried prunes store for months in airtight containers. Freeze whole plums by washing, removing pits, and packing in freezer bags with minimal air – they'll keep for up to a year. The firm flesh also makes excellent jams and preserves, requiring less pectin than softer varieties due to natural pectin content in the skins.

History & Origin

Origin: Turkey

Advantages

+Attracts: Butterflies, Pollinators
+Edible: Fruits are dried to make plums. They can also be eaten raw or cooked.

Considerations

-High maintenance

Companion Plants

Chives and garlic planted in a ring around the drip line are the most practical companions here. Both alliums release volatile sulfur compounds that appear to deter aphids — which do colonize new plum growth in spring — and at 15-20 foot tree spacing, they take up almost no room. Comfrey is worth planting a few feet from the trunk as well. Its taproot pulls calcium and potassium up from subsoil layers that shallow-rooted annuals can't reach, and when you cut it back and leave the leaves to break down in place, that fertility concentrates right at the tree's feeder roots. It'll also crowd out grass around the base, which is useful on its own.

Marigolds and nasturtiums draw in predatory wasps and hoverflies that prey on aphids and soft-bodied pests. They're low-effort and don't compete for resources at this scale, so there's no real argument against scattering them nearby. Lavender and tansy tolerate dry soil well, don't crowd aggressively, and are often planted near stone fruit to deter certain beetles — though the evidence there is thinner than it is for the alliums.

Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is the one to keep well away. It produces juglone from its roots across the entire canopy spread, and Italian Prune Plum is sensitive enough that planting within that zone will stunt or kill it outright. Fennel is allelopathic more broadly and tends to suppress whatever's growing within a few feet — it's simply incompatible with most perennial plantings. Cherry trees planted too close create a shared disease corridor for both brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) and black knot (Apiosporina morbosa), since those pathogens don't distinguish between Prunus species.

Plant Together

Chives

Repels aphids and other pests while attracting beneficial insects

Marigolds

Deters nematodes and aphids, attracts pollinating insects

Comfrey

Deep roots bring nutrients to surface, leaves make excellent mulch

Nasturtiums

Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles

Lavender

Repels moths and other pests, attracts pollinators

Tansy

Deters ants, mice, and flying insects that damage fruit

Garlic

Repels aphids, borers, and other insect pests

Dill

Attracts beneficial wasps and predatory insects

Keep Apart

Black Walnut

Produces juglone which is toxic to stone fruit trees

Cherry Trees

Share similar pests and diseases, increasing infestation risk

Fennel

Allelopathic properties inhibit growth of nearby plants

Nutrition Facts

Calories

46kcal(2%)

Protein

0.7g(1%)

Fiber

1.4g(5%)

Carbs

11.4g(4%)

Fat

0.28g(0%)

Vitamin C

9.5mg(11%)

Vitamin A

17mcg(2%)

Vitamin K

6.4mcg(5%)

Iron

0.17mg(1%)

Calcium

6mg(0%)

Potassium

157mg(3%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #169949)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Resistance

Good resistance to most diseases, hardy variety

Common Pests

Plum curculio, aphids, scale insects, Japanese beetles

Diseases

Brown rot, black knot, leaf spot, silver leaf

Troubleshooting Italian Prune Plum

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Small crescent-shaped scars on developing fruit, with sticky ooze or gumminess around the puncture, appearing late spring to early summer

Likely Causes

Plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar) — a weevil that lays eggs in young fruit right after petal fall
Cool, slow springs that extend the vulnerable window when fruitlets are small

What to Do

1.Kaolin clay (Surround WP) applied at petal fall and reapplied after rain creates a physical barrier the weevil won't land on — start before you think you need to
2.Shake branches over a white sheet early in the morning when temps are below 65°F; the beetles drop and play dead, then you collect and destroy them
3.Pick up and trash any dropped fruit immediately — larvae in fallen plums complete their cycle in the soil and come back next year

Fruit turning soft and brown, often with a ring of gray-tan spores, starting 2-3 weeks before harvest

Likely Causes

Brown rot (Monilinia fructicola) — a fungal disease that spreads fast in warm, humid weather above 70°F, especially after rain
Wounds from curculio damage, cracking, or bird pecks that give the fungus an entry point

What to Do

1.Remove mummified fruit from the tree and the ground immediately — those dried-up plums from last season are the primary inoculum source
2.Thin fruit clusters to at least 3-4 inches apart in June so air can move through; brown rot travels between touching fruit overnight
3.If pressure is high, a copper-based fungicide applied at first pink bud and again at petal fall (per label rates) can reduce early-season spore load

Black, warty, elongated swellings on branches — sometimes a few inches long, sometimes encircling the whole limb — appearing over one or more seasons

Likely Causes

Black knot (Apiosporina morbosa) — a fungal disease specific to Prunus species; spores spread in rain during spring and infect new wood
Nearby wild plums or chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) acting as a reservoir, especially in wooded or rural settings

What to Do

1.Prune out infected wood in late winter, cutting at least 4 inches below where the gall starts; sterilize your saw between cuts with 70% isopropyl alcohol
2.Burn or bag the prunings — do not compost black knot wood
3.Scout for new galls every spring before bud break; catching them small (under 1 inch) dramatically reduces how far the disease spreads

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Italian Prune Plum take to produce fruit?▼

Italian Prune Plum trees typically begin producing fruit 3-4 years after planting grafted trees. Full production usually occurs by year 5-6. Dwarf rootstocks may fruit a year earlier, while standard trees on seedling rootstock can take up to 6 years for first harvest.

Can you grow Italian Prune Plum in containers?▼

Yes, Italian Prune Plums can be grown in large containers (minimum 20-gallon) using dwarf rootstock. Choose pots with drainage holes and use well-draining potting mix. Container trees require more frequent watering and feeding, and may need winter protection in zones 4-6.

What does Italian Prune Plum taste like?▼

Italian Prune Plums have a sweet, rich flavor with mild tartness and complex undertones. The golden flesh is firm and meaty with less juice than other plums. When fully ripe, they develop honey-like sweetness that intensifies during drying, making them ideal for both fresh eating and prune production.

When should I plant Italian Prune Plum trees?▼

Plant Italian Prune Plum trees in early spring after the last frost or in fall 6-8 weeks before hard freeze. Spring planting is preferred in zones 4-5 for better establishment. Fall planting works well in zones 6-8, allowing roots to establish before spring growth begins.

Do Italian Prune Plums need a pollinator tree?▼

No, Italian Prune Plums are self-fertile and don't require a pollinator tree. However, planting with other European plum varieties like Stanley, Green Gage, or Valor can increase fruit set by 20-30% and extend the harvest season with different ripening times.

How do you prevent plum curculio on Italian Prune Plums?▼

Prevent plum curculio by applying kaolin clay spray when petals fall and reapplying after rain. Remove fallen fruit immediately to break the pest's life cycle. Beneficial nematodes applied to soil in late spring target overwintering larvae. Some growers use pheromone traps for monitoring adult activity.