David's Plum Plant Care

David's Plum (Armeniaca davidiana) belongs to the Rosaceae family within the Armeniaca genus. David's Plum is native to China, preferring to grow in forests and thickets, on slopes in mountain valleys, and in waste fields, from 800 to 3200 m. David's Plum is also known as Korean Plum.

David's Plum displays a small to medium-sized tree growth habit, reaching up to 20 ft tall with a spread of approximately 15 ft. David's Plum produces showy pink or white blossoms.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted David's Plum every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

David's Plum thrives in full sun.

Armeniaca davidiana tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. David's Plum prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining loamy soil with good organic content. Good drainage is essential for David's Plum to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed David's Plum every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun and well-draining loamy soil with good organic content. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

David's Plum is suited to USDA Zone 12a.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

David's Plum can spread to about 15 ft (4.6 m) and reach about 20 ft (6 m) tall. Space plants about 15 ft (4.6 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune David's Plum while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

David's Plum is frost-tender (hardy to USDA zone 12). In colder areas grow it in a container and move it to a bright, frost-free place before the first frost.

David's Plum can be propagated through seeds, grafting. Similar propagation techniques also apply to common plum plant care, which shares the same genus.

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David's Plum is susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, spider mites. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

David's Plum grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. David's Plum is native to China, preferring to grow in forests and thickets, on slopes in mountain valleys, and in waste fields, from 800 to 3200 m. In cooler regions, grow David's Plum as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.