Fruit Trees | Plum

Homegrown vs supermarket plums: which taste better? 1:31

Here's how we grow over 30,000 fruit trees a year 1:47

How we pack your trees 0:59

Why buy a bare root tree? 0:58

What to do when your bare root tree arrives (and you're not ready to plant) 0:38

How to plant a bare root tree 3:13

Pick of the Bunch | October Edition 1:49

RHS award winner

'Oullins Golden Gage' Plum Tree Fruit Trees

RHS award winner

'Opal' Plum Tree

As stunning as a precious stone

Grown by Mike

Roots' Cotswolds Valley Nursery

Choose your size

2 Year Old Bare Root Tree

£32

120-150cm inc. roots on arrival

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Pre-order for delivery by Late November

Patio Tree in a 4.5L Pot

£40

£50

60-90cm inc. pot on arrival

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Out of stock

Cordon Tree in a 9L Pot

£50

£55

120-150cm inc. pot on arrival

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Out of stock

2 Year Old Tree in a 7.5L Pot

£35

£45

120-150cm inc. pot on arrival

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Out of stock

2 Year Old Dwarfing Bare Root Tree

£34

£38

120-150cm inc. roots on arrival

Pixy rootstock (grows up to 3m)

Out of stock

Pre-order

£32

Currently out of stock

Pre-order for delivery by Late November

Plant diary

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'Opal' Plum Tree

A very reliable, heavy cropping variety producing an abundance of red-flushed, plump yellow plums
Some say the sweet, fruity flavour is superior to Victoria
Delightful eaten fresh but their soft flesh also makes the best plum jams
An early season variety, ready to harvest in July
RHS Award Winner
SJA Rootstock: Max size H4m x W4m - Rootstocks restrict the size of a tree to make it more suited for an average gardenMORE
Cordon Trained:Max size H2m x W1m Pruned and trained to create a cordon shape, so upright with short side branches. Very productive use of spaceMORE
Our trees are usually between 18 and 36 months old at the time of dispatch.
Our trees are professionally pruned before dispatching. This formative pruning can involve cutting the main leader, if the expert tree growers decide this will produce a better shaped tree. This can stop the tree becoming "leggy", and promote stronger, bushier growth.MORE

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What to expect

Supplied as

Bare Root

Our bare root trees are lifted fresh from the field and packed straight away. You can be sure they will be fresh when they arrive. In winter, you can store for several weeks if kept in a cool, dark spot. Later in spring, when the temperature rises, you will want to plant within a few days of arrival.

Height on arrival

120-150cm inc. roots

Eventual height

5m

Eventual spread

4m

Tasting notes

Packed with flavour for a plum - very sweet, rich with a nice fruitiness

Time to first crop

3 Years

You may see your first plums 3 years after planting, but you should not expect substantial crops until the 4/5th year.

Hardiness

Hardy

May require some protection from very late frosts as this can damage the flowers. This won't cause lasting damage to the tree but will reduce the yield of fruit that year.

Pollination group

Pollination groups relate to the time of the year when a tree flowers. Trees that flower at the same time can pollinate each other, which helps produce fruit if not self fertile, and can still improve yields even if they are. Trees can usually pollinate a group either side of their own; i.e "2" can Pollinate 1, 2, and 3

3

Pollination groups relate to the time of the year when a tree flowers. Trees that flower at the same time can pollinate each other, which helps produce fruit if not self fertile, and can still improve yields even if they are. Trees can usually pollinate a group either side of their own; i.e "2" can Pollinate 1, 2, and 3

Uses

Eating, Making Jams

Rootstock

Plum varieties are usually grown by grafting them to rootstocks. This has benefits for pest resistance, genetics and the efficiency of propagation. Importantly, it also limits the height of a tree to a more manageable, specific height. SJA plum trees tend to only reach 4m tall, perfect for smaller spaces or those afraid of stepladders. They can also be trained to a smaller size by pruning or restricting the roots, by keeping in a smaller pot

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Plum varieties are usually grown by grafting them to rootstocks. This has benefits for pest resistance, genetics and the efficiency of propagation. Importantly, it also limits the height of a tree to a more manageable, specific height. SJA plum trees tend to only reach 4m tall, perfect for smaller spaces or those afraid of stepladders. They can also be trained to a smaller size by pruning or restricting the roots, by keeping in a smaller pot

Will this grow in my garden?

Can I grow this in a pot?

The 'Opal' plum tree is well-suited to growing in a pot of 50 to 60 centimetres, provided it is on a dwarfing rootstock like Pixy.

How big does it get?

The Opal Plum Tree typically reaches a mature height of 3 to 4.5 metres and a spread of 3 to 4 metres, though this can be restricted by using dwarfing rootstocks.

How much sunlight does this need?

For optimal growth and fruit production, planting Opal Plum in a location that receives full sunlight, ideally at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun per day, is essential. It thrives in a warm, sunny position with temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius.

What kind of soil does this plant prefer?

The 'Opal' plum tree prefers moist but well-drained, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.

How much watering does this plant need?

The 'Opal' Plum Tree benefits from about 3 to 4 centimetres of water per week, particularly as its early-season fruits swell.

Will this plant need pruning?

Yes, the 'Opal' Plum Tree will need pruning. Prune in early to mid-summer to avoid silver leaf disease, trimming back new growth by 10 to 15 centimetres.

How hardy is this plant?

The 'Opal' plum tree is fully hardy in all of the UK, holding an RHS hardiness rating of H6, which means it can withstand temperatures from -15°C to -20°C.

Roots' Cotswolds Valley Nursery

Meet Mike

Tree-growing skills honed right across the globe

Having started out in Australia, studied in Northern Ireland and volunteered at an organic farm in Sweden, it’s fair to say Mike’s done his fair share of travel on his horticultural journey, so far! Having happily laid down roots here at Roots, Mike is the don behind our tree-growing operation, imparting each and every one of his globally-honed skills to benefit your garden. Grown in our purpose-built nursery, in the ideal climatic conditions of the fertile Vale of Evesham, we’re proud to supply only the happiest, healthiest and hardiest trees.

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Anne Margaret, 21 hours ago

As always a pleasure to do bus...

As always a pleasure to do business with you

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Lucy, 3 days ago

Great product very healthy tree

★★★★★

Asha Duttweiler, 4 days ago

Plants in excellent condition

The plants I ordered arrived soon after ordering in excellent condition...

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Mary, 6 days ago

Brilliant service

I have had several plants from roots now and all been very good and sti...

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How To Plant a Tree: Potted Trees and Bare Root

10 Fruit Trees For Pots & Containers

10 May

Best plants you will ever get online

I have ordered plants from them twice this year. They arrived well packaged, on time and looked strong and healthy. I feel the staff from Roots plants deal with their plants and customers with passion and care. I can’t wait to order again, price is good as well.

2 May

Highly recommended all round

Delivered quickly, perfectly packaged and the tree was in excellent condition. Really healthy and taken to the garden with no problems. Can't recommend highly enough. 5 stars isn't enough!

3 April

Satisfied customer

Unlike other online sellers, this company are well ahead in the quality stakes. My plant arrived promptly as per their promise and the plant was much more established and healthy than I had expected. It’s the second time I have ordered from them and I have faith in their promise. Excellent service.

26 February

Delivering fresh from the nursery

Supporting UK growers

'Opal' Plum Tree

Choose your size

2 Year Old Bare Root Tree

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Patio Tree in a 4.5L Pot

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

Cordon Tree in a 9L Pot

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

2 Year Old Tree in a 7.5L Pot

SJA rootstock (grows up to 5m)

2 Year Old Dwarfing Bare Root Tree

Pixy rootstock (grows up to 3m)

Add your kit (optional)

Full Tree Planting Kit | Extra Strong Stake, Supersoft Tie & Rootgrow™

Melcourt SylvaGrow® Rose, Tree & Shrub Planting Compost

Plant diary

'Opal' Plum Tree

What to expect

Will this grow in my garden?

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Meet Mike

What customers say about us

Learn from our experts

5 Things to Know Before Buying a Plum Tree

How to Train a Victoria Plum

How to Store Plums and Use Up Your Crop

How To Plant a Tree: Potted Trees and Bare Root

10 Fruit Trees For Pots & Containers

What customers say about us

We do our best to provide you the best experience ever

Best plants you will ever get online

Highly recommended all round

Satisfied customer

A really good quality tree

Exceptional quality

Marvellous!