Methley Plum Tree

Methley is a Japanese-type plum and one of the first plums of the summer. The fruit is small to medium, with reddish-purple skin and sweet, juicy red flesh.

It's very productive and reliable, and it's one of the easiest plums to grow in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Great fresh and for jam.

Methley comes from South Africa and is a hybrid of Japanese plum and cherry plum.

At a glance

You get

#7 container, about 1.25" caliper (trunk thickness 6 inches above the soil; each tree varies a little)

Hardiness zones

USDA 5–9 (Salem County is 7)

Blooms

Early

Ripens

Late June to early July

Starts bearing

Usually 3–4 years after planting

Mature size

About 12–15 ft with regular pruning

Pollination

Self-fertile

Botanical name

Prunus salicina

Price

$88 each, paid at pickup

Pickup

Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March

The fruit

Looks

Small to medium, reddish-purple skin, red flesh; clingstone

Flavor

Sweet and mild

Best for

Fresh, Jam

Keeps

Short; eat or preserve soon after picking

Pollination

Self-fertile. One tree will fruit on its own, and Methley is a good pollinator for Santa Rosa.

Growing tips

Watch for: Early bloom can be caught by frost; black knot and bacterial spot

• Full sun and well-drained soil.
• Thin heavy crops so the fruit is 3–4 inches apart. Plums often set more than the tree can carry.
• Watch for black knot (hard black swellings on branches) and cut it out in winter.
• Prune in late winter or early summer.

Spray schedule: Plum Spray Schedule for New Jersey Home Orchards (Rutgers Cooperative Extension, fact sheet FS116)

New to planting fruit trees? Read our step-by-step planting guide: square hole, graft above the soil, native soil, and no fruit for the first two years.

Photos show the variety, not the exact plant you’ll get. Reservations are for the 2027 season, picked up at our farm in Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March, and aren’t guaranteed until we confirm them. Questions? Ask us or call or text (856) 345‑4538.