Spring 2024Order pot grown trees now for delivery from week commencing 8th April
Orange Pippin Trees UK logo

Seneca plum trees

Prunus domestica
Seneca
Seneca is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3
Seneca is a high-quality late-season large American plum with a notably sweet flavor.

Seneca plum trees for sale

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £38.75
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
    Out of stock
    Alert me
Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95. It is calculated when you add trees to your basket, based on your postcode.

Although relatively unknown in the UK, Seneca is widely considered one of the best plums developed by the New York Agricultural Experiment Station - for eating fresh it is superb, with a strong sweet plum flavour. The fruit size is very large by the standards of European plums.

Seneca is a useful choice if you are looking for a late-season dessert plum, it ripens in early September.

The stone falls cleanly away from the flesh (freestone).

 

How to grow

Seneca bruises very easily and is therefore not suitable as a commercial variety - but perfect for the home orchard.

The fruit ripens from the start of September in northern states. A useful feature of Seneca is that not all the plums ripen at once and picking can take place over a period of about 2 weeks, meaning you don't have to deal with a sudden glut.

The tree is vigorous and fairly productive.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Seneca is a European plum and is a cross between the Italian Prune and Prinlew. It was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, USA. The first tree was raised in 1937, and test plantings began in 1949. It was eventually named in 1972, having been known as NY981 since the 1950s. The name reflects the Seneca people who are native of this part of North America.

Seneca characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesWarm climates

Using

  • Picking seasonLate
  • CroppingGood
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-3 days
  • Food usesEating fresh

Problems

  • Disease resistanceAverage

Identification

  • Country of originUnited States
  • Period of origin1950 - 1999
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourRed