Benson's Gem Plum (Spring 2027)

Yes. Benson's Gem Plum needs pollen from a different variety that blooms at about the same time. Plant a different hybrid or native plum nearby, such as Toka or a Native American plum. Its plum group has not been confirmed, so noting its bloom date next to Toka and Stanley would help. Partners we carry include Toka Plum, Native American Plum (Bundle of 3), Kaga Plum.

We rate Benson's Gem Plum hardy to zone 3b, which means winters down to about -35°F. Our ratings come from real winters at our two Montana sites and from trusted growers across the North, not from a catalog average.

About 700 hours of winter chill (we count hours at or below 45°F), likely somewhere between 500 and 1,000. Nobody has published a chill figure for it, so that's our estimate from its relatives and origin. Our chill hours guide has a calculator for your winters, and our research page lists the sources.

We graft Benson's Gem Plum onto Prairie Red (semi-dwarf), which makes a tree roughly 10 to 15 ft tall if you never prune it. Some sizes are on Prunus americana.

Our top use scores for Benson's Gem Plum are fresh eating (7/10).

We don't know yet. Nobody has published solid disease data on Benson's Gem Plum for bacterial canker, bacterial spot, black knot, brown rot, cytospora canker and plum pocket, so we list it as unknown instead of guessing. That doesn't mean it's weak. Plenty of the plants we grow have never been through formal disease trials. Our plum disease resistance chart has every rating, the notes and the sources.

Yes, deer love it. Protect Benson's Gem Plum with a fence or a cage, especially while it is young.

A dormant bare-root plant, roots wrapped in moist sawdust with a vapor barrier, shipped or picked up in Missoula in spring. Sizes offered: 3-5 ft or 5-7 ft or 3-4 ft or 4-6 ft. We guarantee our plants bud out. Stone fruits can be slow, so if one still has not budded out by August 15, write to us and we credit you for the following spring.