Question concerning plum trees - what to do?

Question

We just purchased a bruce plum tree and a santa rosa plum tree...I need any advice on planting these. We live in New Orleans and it has been in the 60's lately, a little rainy also. Not sure if there is a best time to plant these. Also, we were told that we needed both of these in order to produce fruit, but I think I have read different on the internet and I want to make sure we were not ripped off. Because all we really wanted was the Santa Rosa Plum tree. Is it true that it will take 3-5 years before these trees will produce?

Answer 1

European Plums are self pollinating, but more fruit is produced with different varieties planted. But some Japanese plums are also self fertile. The Santa Rosa Plum tree produces plums that have a delicious flavor. The fruit is large, attractive, dark reddish purple color with red flesh. The fruit is firm and of good quality. One of the most frequently planted Japanese plums. It is a self pollinating tree and thus can be planted in locations where pollination is not needed.
It's the Bruce plum that has to have a pollenator. Here some info on that one: Early fruiting open spreading small tree. A cross between japanese plum and native Chickasaw (TX)goes well with Aycock since they have the same shape.

Answer 2

My parents planted a Santa Rosa plum when I was a teenager and I remember it took many years before it produced. We had another kind of plum tree that was there when we moved in, on the side of the house (about 70 feet from the Santa rosa tree), that was very mature and produced a lot of fruit. I don't know if it pollinated the Santa Rosa tree, or not. I just remember it took many years for the S.R. tree to produce any fruit. For a while we wondered if it ever would.

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Answer 3

No, you did not need both of those trees for them to blossom and fruit, Bees pollenate the trees and that is what is needed for them to produce fruit.

The best time to plant them is anytime, as long as you remember to water them every day.