How to Plant, Grow, and Care for June Plum Tree

The June plum tree produces an uncommon tropical treat, not to be compared to the popular plum fruit. The flavor of a June plum resembles a pineapple and mango with the crunch of an apple. The fruits can be eaten unripe or ripe, which can either make the flavor mellow or tangy. June plums are a rare commodity that you probably won’t find at the grocery store. This fruit tree would be an excellent addition to the home garden if your climate permits.

June plums thrive in the heat but cannot tolerate frost. They offer more than just fresh fruit. Use the tropical fruit to make juice, jams, and sauces. It can also be pickled and added to dishes for flavoring. The young leaves are also edible and commonly consumed in Southeast Asia, either raw or steamed. Use the leaves to tenderize meat. 

Fortunately, June plum trees are also very easy to grow. Grow in the ground or in a pot but make sure they have full or partial sun. They are an ideal candidate for a patio fruit tree. They have very few problems in regard to pests and diseases. As long as June plum trees can be protected from frost, there’s no reason not to grow your own!

What is The June Plum Tree?

June plum (Spondias dulcis) has many different common names, but the most common are ambarella, golden apple, Jewish plum, and Tahitian plum. Spondias dulcis is in the family Anacardiaceae. Also included in this family are mangos, cashews, and pistachios.

Native Area

They are very popular in the South Pacific Islands, where they originate, but they have been dispersed into many different tropical regions. In the United States, they are extremely uncommon but can be found in Florida and California. They are more popular in Florida because of the hot and humid conditions, but there is still potential to grow in other areas of the United States. 

Characteristics

Spondias dulcis is a deciduous tree with elliptic, pinnate leaves and nine to twenty-five leaflets. Trees can grow up to 40-60 feet tall, although most trees sold are dwarf varieties that only grow six to eight feet tall. The flowers grow in large clusters of at least a dozen and are small and white. The fruits are green when unripe and turn golden yellow when ripe. The fruits are oval and around two to four inches long.

June plums are self-fertile, so there is no need to have multiple varieties for cross-pollination. Each fruit has one large fibrous seed in the middle, similar to a mango. 

June plum trees have a unique life cycle because they can be quite variable. Trees do not have a specific bloom season. Flowers are triggered by dry periods followed by a rainy season, which can be triggered at any time, depending on irrigation practices. It is not uncommon for trees to have flowers and maturing fruits at the same time. Trees may also drop their leaves during excessively dry periods or cold winters. Leaves and shoots eventually come back when conditions improve, usually with some new flower clusters.

Planting

Grow June plum trees in a container or the ground. They do not tolerate frost, so they must be planted in a warm location or brought inside during the winter.

They make a great patio tree because of the size of the dwarf variety, and they also tolerate partial sun. When planting trees in containers, it’s common for trees to become root-bound. Monitor the roots and watch for circling. Transplant trees to a larger pot if root circling occurs.

When planting in the ground, choose in a sunny location with well-draining soil. Do not grow trees in excessively windy locations. The best time is when there is no danger of frost. Dig a hole three times as wide and just as deep as the root ball. Set firmly in the ground and cover the top layer of soil with two to three inches of mulch.

How to Grow

June plum trees are very versatile and easy to care for. They do require some input but have virtually no problems when properly cared for.

Light

June plum trees prefer full sun, but also grow well in partial sun. They need at least four to six hours of sunlight each day. Grow in USDA zones 4-11 if potted and brought inside during the frost. Grow in USDA zones 9-11 for outdoor trees.

Water

June plum trees are fairly drought-resistant when mature, but they grow more vigorously and produce more fruits when given adequate water. Water young trees more frequently until they are about three years old.

Watering trees in containers can be done manually with a hose or with drip irrigation. After each irrigation, the potting media should be fully saturated and allowed to dry until slightly moist before watering again. Depending on the potting media and weather, this can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

Water newly in-ground planted trees one to two times per week for the first few months. Then once a week during dry periods. Check the soil moisture periodically. If the top two inches of soil is dry, then it’s time to water. Extra water is not necessary during rainy periods. The best method to irrigate trees in the ground is with drip irrigation or soaker hoses. This allows for the soil to soak in the water without causing too much runoff.

Soil

June plum trees grow well in all types of soils as long as they are well-draining. They will survive under poor nutrition, but grow more vigorously and produce more fruits when fed properly. Trees grow well in acidic to slightly alkaline soils with a pH of 5.5-7.5. They prefer more acidic soils.

Temperature

Spondias dulcis grows best in humid tropical and subtropical climates. Trees are very sensitive to frost. A heavy frost will cause dieback of entire branches or potentially kill the tree. When freezing temperatures are in the forecast, bring potted trees inside or cover in-ground trees with frost fabric. Excessive heat above 100°F (38°C) can cause sunburn in immature trees. Cover immature trees with a light shade-cloth or protect the trunk with a sleeve.

Fertilizing

Apply a balanced fertilizer two to four times per year when the tree is actively growing especially during flower and fruit production.

Maintenance

Monitor immature trees as they are known to fruit themselves to death. Thin out flowers and fruit on younger trees; otherwise, heavy fruits can cause new branches to split. Fruits also consume a lot of nutrients, so having a lot of fruits on a young tree will stunt its growth.

Dwarf trees tend to grow bushier and require pruning to maintain the desired height and shape. Standard trees need to be pruned to avoid overlapping branches and maintain their size and shape. Flowers do not require old growth to develop, so there is no concern about pruning off flowering branches.

During a heavy frost, branches may die back and will need to be pruned off in the spring to stimulate new growth. Fruits should drop off naturally, but any old, rotten fruits should be removed to avoid disease and fruit flies.

Propagation

Spondias dulcis can be propagated by seed, hardwood cuttings, air layering, or grafting.

Propagating by seed is easy, but fruit characteristics may be variable. Luckily, trees are fast-growing and begin producing fruits at a young age. Some will even begin to produce after about a year. 

Hardwood cuttings and air-layering are the preferred methods of propagation because it is easy and the fruit characteristics will be the same. Trees can also be grafted on the same species’ rootstock or other Spondias rootstock. However, cuttings and air-layering are the preferred methods because the process is much easier.

Harvesting

Pick june plums when green or golden yellow making it a very easy fruit to harvest. Although the fresh fruits cannot be stored for long periods, there are other ways to preserve fruits to enjoy long term.

They are great to eat unripe and ripe, so harvesting depends on personal preference. Harvesting can begin as soon as the fruits reach a full size of about two and a half to four inches long. Pick when green or golden yellow. When picked green, the flavor will be much more mellow. If allowed to ripen, the fruits will develop a tangy flavor.

Since the fruits grow in a cluster of at least a dozen, the entire cluster can be removed with pruners. For large trees, they can be shaken off the branches.

Storage

Green fruits should be stored at room temperature until ripe. Ripe fruits can be stored for several days in the refrigerator.

For long term storage, fruits can be made into jam. They can also be juiced or made into a sauce and kept in the freezer.

Common Problems

Spondias dulcis presents very few issues in general. Below are some common issues and some tips to resolve them.  

Growing Problems

June plum trees are prolific producers – so much so they can fruit themselves to death when immature. Although it may be tempting to keep all the fruits on a small tree, it’s best to prune some off so that they can grow and mature.

Another common issue is weather-related. There is no controlling the weather, but there are ways to protect your tree to avoid damage or death. When temperatures are expected to be below freezing, protect in-ground trees with frost fabric. For containerized trees, bring them inside until conditions improve.

Pests

The Caribbean fruit fly is a small orange-brown fly that lays eggs inside fruits, making them undesirable when the eggs hatch. Open wounds in the fruits can also lead to fruit rot. The best way to prevent fruit flies from laying eggs in fruit is to bag the fruit on the tree for protection.

Scale insects are round, flat insects that come in a variety of colors, from green to red to brown. They are usually found on twigs and branches. Scales are mostly a concern because of their secretion of honeydew. Honeydew leads to the development of sooty mold, which can cover the leaves of the tree, preventing it from photosynthesizing. It’s common for scales to go unnoticed until the black, sooty mold begins covering the leaves. If the issue becomes extreme, growth can be affected. Natural enemies should keep populations under control, but oil sprays can be used to knock down scale populations that get out of hand.

Thrips are small, yellow to orange insects that feed on new leaves and flowers. Their damage can cause scarring on the leaves and developing fruits. Spraying the leaves with water will help deter thrips.

Mites are small eight-legged arachnids that cause stippling damage on leaves. Trees are more susceptible to mite infestation when stressed. High levels of damage can cause leave drop and overall decline. Maintaining healthy trees is the best defense against mites. If treatment is necessary, oil sprays are effective.

Diseases

Root rot may occur if the tree is overwatered or is not planted in well-draining soil. Excessive water will drown the roots and allow root diseases to infect the tree easily. Prevent root rot by planting in a good location and using best irrigation practices.

Fruit rot is caused by fruit fly infestation creating an open wound that allows for pathogens to infect the fruit. Avoid fruit rot by preventing fruit fly infestations by bagging the fruit on the tree.

Frequently Asked Questions