Major importers include Japan, Germany, Italy, Sweden, UK, Canada, France. Leaves ovate or elliptic with acute or obtuse tips, short petioles. Flowers are similar in morphology to peach, but white, smaller, and have longer pedicels. Bruce', 'AU Producer', 'Santa Rosa', and 'Methley' produce fair crops when grown as dooryard trees. Reine Claude', 'French', and 'Sugar' prune types are self-fruitful enough to be planted in solid blocks.
Honey bees are the major pollinator.
Fruit size generally larger in Japanese types, although this is heavily dependent on thinning. Native American types and their hybrids with Japanese plum often have small fruit size. Bloom usually present on glabrous surface. Trees may flower in second year on laterals, but substantial bearing does not begin until 4 years. European plums are less precocious than Japanese types, with little spur and fruit production until year 3-4 in European, but excessive flowering in year 2 for Japanese.