Your Guide to Plums: Varieties, Season, and How to Pick the Best One (2024)

Plums have been immortalized in poetry by William Carlos Williams, and rightly so — they add a lot of joy to life. Fresh from the icebox, sweet and cold, nothing could be dreamier on a summer day. And then we have plum jams, plum cakes, plum treats of all kinds. There are so many reasons to be excited about plum season!

Plums come in a rainbow of colors, and hundreds of varieties, which can make things feel confusing — which plums to use for what? When and how and where to get good ones? How to store them? Here is everything you need to know about plums for poem-worthy levels of enjoyment all season long (and then some).

Plums

In season: Late June or early July through September

Varieties: European and Japanese, with over 300 distinct varieties among them

How to store: Store in a loosely closed paper bag for a day or two to ripen

Your Guide to Plums: Varieties, Season, and How to Pick the Best One (1)

When are Plums in Season?

Plum season is typically late June/early July to September. In California, where the majority of the country’s plum crops are grown, they’re in season from May to October.

Plum Varieties

There are around 300 plum varieties grown and sold across the United States. Such diversity and abundance is a luxury, but trying to get a handle on all of the plum species and sub-groups is dizzying.

To keep things simple, we’re sticking to the basics of the plum variety breakdown. Just know that the selection is vast and think of plum season as an opportunity to explore and discover new treasures.

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The two main types of commercially grown plums are European (prunus domestica) and Japanese (prunus salicina).

European plums, aka prune plums, are mainly grown to be turned into dried plums. Their thick skins, high sugar content, and dense flesh make them ideal for drying, and best for baking and jam-making. A tiny percentage (2-3%) of European plums are grown to be sold fresh. Their skins range in color, but their flesh is mainly yellow, sometimes green. Many European plums are oval-shaped. They’re freestone fruits, which means their pits are very easy to remove.

An extra notable European plum is the Green Gage (and the Golden Gage, and any other Gages). They aren’t grown in many regions in the U.S., and aren’t widely distributed, but they’re a special pleasure if you can get your hands on any.

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If there’s a plum with thin skin you like eating out of hand, it’s most likely a Japanese plum.

Japanese plums have been bred into countless varieties, and they’re all almost exclusively for eating fresh. Their skins are thin, and they come in every color of the rainbow. Their flesh also has a large color spectrum. The majority are round, but some are oblong and resemble hearts. These are clingstone fruits, meaning the flesh keeps a tight grip on the stone, so trying to halve and pit these plums is always going to be a messy affair.

Plum/apricot hybrids like Pluots, Plumcots, and Apriums are derived from Japanese plums.

Lesser plum species (prunus insititia) worth mentioning are Damsons and Mirabelles. They’re related to European plums, not widely grown, and have brief seasons. Rare Treats! Damsons are dark blueish-purple, very tart, and traditionally used for jam. Mirabelles are sweet, their skins golden yellow with kisses or freckles of red. Both are very small and cute.

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Where to Buy Plums

Your local farmers market is going to have the largest selection of plum varieties. The varieties you find will depend on your region, your farmers, and your market, but all will be grown nearby and picked shortly before they’re put on stands for you to buy. Make friends with the farmers and learn about the plums you have to choose from.

When they’re in season, plums from California and Michigan can be found in grocery stores. Some stores sell locally grown plums, and if you’ve got a store like that near you, take advantage.

Yes, there are plums in grocery stores year-round, but there are very few varieties to choose from when they’re out of season, and they’re flown in from very far away. Stick to the season of you want poem-worthy plums.

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How to Choose the Best Plum

Whether you’re at a grocery store or a farm stand, go for plums that have blemish-free, wrinkle-free skin. They should feel heavy for their size, and firm. The flower end (the end opposite the stem) should have a little give when gently pressed.

Grocery store plums are shipped while they’re still hard and unripe, and they’re kept cool to slow their ripening speed, so you’re more likely to find plums that are very firm all over. Bring home the ones you like, and they’ll get ripe in time. Once they start softening, you can start inspecting their flower ends.

When you’re at a farmers market, smell the plums you’re considering. Lots of varieties are fragrant, and plums sitting on outdoor market displays are encouraged by the heat to release their perfumes. If they make you swoon, take them home. And remember when you’re at a farmers market that you can always ask your farmers for advice!

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How to Store Plums

If you have some plums that need to ripen, put them in a loosely closed paper bag for a day or two. When they’re fully ripe, it’s up to you: do you want to eat cold plums or room temp plums? Act accordingly. But if you’re leaving a bunch of ripe plums at room temp, make sure to finish them before they go bad.

If you have plums that have gotten too soft, freeze them to use in a smoothie, or perhaps this plum sorbet.

How to Freeze Plums

Wash and thoroughly dry. Halve, remove the pit. Place the halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and move to the freezer. When they’re frozen, put in a plastic bag and remove as much air as possible before sealing and storing in the freezer. These will keep for up to six months.

You can also freeze them whole. Just wash, dry, and toss in a plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, and freeze.

Plum Recipes

  • Plum Cobbler
  • Plum Galette
  • Plum Conserve Jam
  • Plum Sorbet
  • Plum Walnut Skillet Cake
  • Plum Upside Down Cake

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Your Guide to Plums: Varieties, Season, and How to Pick the Best One (2024)

FAQs

How do you pick the best plums? ›

Feel and texture: Ripe plums are soft and “give” when pressed. An overripe plum will be very soft and squishy (and splat on the ground). Smell: Give your plums the smell test. A ripe plum should smell sweet and fruity.

What season is best for plums? ›

Plums also vary in taste—some are sweet while others are tart. They're available from July through October. One medium plum contains 30 calories, 8 grams carbohydrates and is a good source of vitamin C.

How can you tell if a plum is good to eat? ›

A good plum should have smooth, unbroken skin. Check the Color: Flavor-packed plums boast a deep, rich, consistent color. Shades of green suggest it was picked too soon, while dark spots are telltale signs of spoilage.

How to tell if plums are sweet? ›

A perfectly ripe plum will smell sweet and fruity. An unripe plum will have little to no scent at all. No smell generally means no taste.

What are the sweetest plums to eat? ›

Mirabelle plums are the sweetest of all plum varieties. The small fruit with a slight reddish blush is popular for making eau-de-vie in France. Red plum varieties have bright red skin. Some, like the Santa Rosa, have amber flesh, while others, like Simcas, have bright red flesh that matches the skins.

What month do plums bear fruit? ›

A well-established tree will yield up to 2 bushels of plums from late summer into fall.

Which plums are sweeter, red or black? ›

Red plums have sweet, juicy flesh with slightly tart skins, while black plums have a more sour taste with sweet skin. If you prefer sweet fruit, red plums should be your go-to choice. While if you like a slight tartness, black plums will do just fine!

Do plums like sun or shade? ›

Plum trees need to be planted where they receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight as measured in early summer (late June to early August). Sufficient sun exposure triggers the initiation of new flower buds for the next growing season, without which there will be no fruit.

Should plums be refrigerated? ›

Whole plums should be stored at room temperature until ripened. Once ripe, the plums can be kept whole in a bowl in the refrigerator and covered with Glad® Press n' Seal wrap. Or, to store cut plums, remove pits and cut fruit into chunks or wedges of desired size.

How many plums should you eat in a day? ›

Plums being rich in Vitamin C, also improves skin complexion while removing dark spots and scars from the face. Having just 4 to 5 plums a day can bring a healthy change into your life. Take full advantage of it while the plum season is still on!

What part of a plum can you not eat? ›

Be careful not to eat the pit. The skin of the plum is safe to eat and provides a sharper flavor than the flesh.

How to pick a good plum? ›

Plums should be plump and well-colored. To find a ripe plum, hold one in the palm of your hand. It should feel heavy and yield to gentle pressure. Avoid plums with shriveled skin, mushy spots or breaks in the skin.

What country is known for plums? ›

China is the largest producer of plums, followed by Romania and Serbia. Japanese or Chinese plums dominate the fresh fruit market, while European plums are also common in some regions. Plums can be eaten fresh, dried to make prunes, used in jams, or fermented into wine and distilled into brandy.

Which country eats the most plums? ›

Global Plums And Sloes Consumption

With nearly X thousand tons, China became the world's leading plum and sloe consuming country, accounting for X% of global consumption.

Do plums keep ripening after picking? ›

Plums are picked before they're ripe and will ripen if allowed to sit on the countertop for a few days. You can also speed up the process by placing them in a brown paper bag. Does a plum's flavor change as it ripens? Unlike bananas and peaches, plums do not become noticeably sweeter as they ripen, only softer.

Should plums be stored in the fridge or counter? ›

Whole plums should be stored at room temperature until ripened. Once ripe, the plums can be kept whole in a bowl in the refrigerator and covered with Glad® Press n' Seal wrap. Or, to store cut plums, remove pits and cut fruit into chunks or wedges of desired size.

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