Seneca plum trees

• Check 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

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