Au Producer Plum

AU Producer was released in 1977 by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station at Auburn University, part of the long-running plum improvement program initiated by Joe Norton in 1955. Norton’s program targeted the warm, humid Southeast, a region where many standard Japanese plum selections failed due to inadequate winter chill accumulation, high disease pressure from bacterial and fungal pathogens, and summer heat that degraded fruit quality before harvest. AU Producer was developed specifically for commercial growers seeking high yields combined with the early-ripening window typical of mid-South production, generally delivering harvest in mid-June ahead of the worst summer heat and disease cycles. The variety carries strong resistance to bacterial fruit spot, bacterial leaf spot, and bacterial canker, traits central to Norton’s selection criteria across the AU series. Specific parentage has not been publicly documented in the available literature, though the variety reflects the Prunus salicina background standard to the Auburn series.

AU Producer's moderate chill requirement of 650 to 700 hours positions it squarely in the mid-South and upper Gulf Coast sweet spot — warm enough to break dormancy reliably most winters, yet far enough from true low-chill territory to avoid bloom timing problems in cold-snap-prone zone 6. The tree requires full sun for tight fruit set and adequate sugar development; shaded positions tend to thin the crop and reduce Brix. Soil drainage is the single most important site factor: Japanese plums on saturated rootzones are highly susceptible to Phytophthora collar rot and Armillaria root rot, so raised beds or gently sloped planting sites in heavy clay areas are worth the extra effort. A soil pH of 6.0 to 7.5 covers most native Southeast soils without amendment. Water consistently during establishment and through the fruit-swell stage in late spring; once established, AU Producer tolerates brief dry spells better than most Japanese plums, though moisture stress during pit hardening reduces final fruit size.

USDA Hardiness Zone: 6-9
AHS Heat Zone: 5-9
Chill Hours: 700-900
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5
Soil Type: Sandy loam, loam, or sandy clay; well-drained
Soil Drainage: Well-drained
Water Requirements: Medium; regular moisture during establishment and fruit development; drought-tolerant once established
Plant Spacing: 12-20 ft apart

AU Producer develops a rounded crown with branches that angle upward rather than spreading laterally, which keeps the tree's footprint tighter than its 12-to-15-foot eventual height suggests. The moderate vigor and compact spread of 10 to 12 feet makes it one of the more manageable full-size Japanese plums in a home orchard or food forest canopy layer. Fruiting occurs on both one-year-old wood and short spurs on older branches, so annual pruning should preserve a mix of younger lateral shoots and well-positioned spurs rather than heading back hard to pure scaffold structure. Open-center or modified-central-leader training both work well; the upward branch angle responds readily to spreading ties early in the tree's life if a wider scaffold is preferred. White to light-pink flowers in mid-March to early April give a brief ornamental display before leaves fully emerge, making early-season pollinator forage a secondary benefit.

Mature Height: 12-15 ft tall
Mature Spread: 10-12 ft wide
Growth Habit: Rounded crown with upwardly-reaching branches; compact, moderately vigorous
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Type: Deciduous
Food Forest Layer: Canopy, Sub-canopy
Attracts Wildlife: Bees (pollination), birds, deer (fruit)
Life Span: 20-40 years productive life

Au Producer Plum flowers in the early relative window in the Zone 7 Ozarks planning model. Self-fertility is disputed between Auburn's release and UGA's newer table; plant with an overlapping Japanese plum for reliable crops.

Bloom Season: Early
Bloom Window: Late Mar - Early Apr
Pollination Requirements: Self-fertility is disputed between Auburn's release and UGA's newer table; plant with an overlapping Japanese plum for reliable crops.
Pollination Mechanism: Insect (bee)
Flower Color: White to light pink

Fruit sizes average 1.5 to 1.75 inches in diameter, with firm flesh that holds up through packing and refrigerated storage for two to three weeks — a practical advantage for small commercial operations and farmers market growers. The skin is dark red to purplish-red at full ripeness; flesh color ranges from deep red near the skin to amber-yellow at the pit, giving cut fruit a striking appearance. Flavor is mildly sweet and juicy without the sharp tartness of European-type plums, making it broadly appealing for fresh eating. The moderately low acidity also suits canning, preserves, and jam production, where AU Producer's high yield means an abundant raw material supply from a single tree. Harvest runs mid-June through early July in a temperate climate, arriving ahead of summer's peak heat. The heavy, consistent bearing habit is the defining commercial trait: AU Producer earned its name from genuine productivity rather than aspirational marketing.

Ripening Season: Early
Harvest Window: Mid Jun - Early Jul
Fruit Size: 1.5-1.75 inch
Flavor: Sweet and juicy; mildly sweet
Fruit Color: Dark red to purplish-red skin; dark red to amber-yellow flesh
Fruit Texture: Firm
Bearing Habit: Produces on 1-year-old wood and spurs
Years to Bear: 2-4 years
Storage Life: 2-3 weeks refrigerated; ships and stores well
Culinary Uses: Fresh eating, canning, preserves, jams, pies, desserts, commercial production

AU Producer carries moderate resistance to Brown Rot (Monilinia fructicola), the most damaging stone-fruit disease in humid climates. Moderate resistance does not eliminate risk — sanitation is the most effective organic tool: remove and destroy all mummified fruit from the tree and ground before bloom, as overwintered mummies are the primary inoculum source. Prune to maintain open canopy airflow, which slows the humidity-driven disease cycle. The variety shows good resistance to Bacterial Spot (Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni) and Bacterial Canker (Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae), reducing the likelihood of leaf lesions and branch dieback in seasons with rainy spring weather. Plum Pocket (Taphrina communis), a fungal disease causing distorted, hollow fruit, rates moderately susceptible; affected fruit should be removed early, before spores disperse, and copper-based OMRI-listed sprays applied at early bloom can reduce incidence. On the pest side, Plum Curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar), Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), Apple Maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella), and Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholita molesta) all rate moderately susceptible. Use kaolin clay applications beginning at petal fall through fruit set for curculio and maggot, and deploy SWD monitoring traps to time interventions during the ripening window. Removing dropped or cracked fruit promptly breaks pest breeding cycles for both SWD and OFM.

Brown Rot: Moderately Resistant
Bacterial Spot: Resistant
Black Knot: Moderately Resistant
Bacterial Canker: Resistant
Plum Pocket: Moderately Susceptible
Plum Curculio: Moderately Susceptible
Spotted Wing Drosophila: Moderately Susceptible
Apple Maggot: Moderately Susceptible
Oriental Fruit Moth: Moderately Susceptible

• Plant two varieties together: AU Producer sets light crops alone; pairing it with Methley or AU Rosa within 50 feet can double or triple fruit set.
• Prioritize drainage above all else: If your site has clay-heavy soil, mound the planting area 8–12 inches above grade or choose a gently sloping position — waterlogged roots invite Armillaria and Phytophthora that no spray program fully corrects.
• Sanitation is your brown rot program: Pick up and destroy every mummified fruit before bloom each spring. Mummies are the overwintering reservoir; removing them cuts inoculum load more reliably than any post-infection spray.
• Deploy kaolin clay at petal fall: A kaolin clay coating on developing fruit from petal fall through early June physically deters plum curculio and apple maggot egg-laying without fungicide residue concerns.
• Set SWD traps before color break: Spotted wing drosophila infests ripening fruit, not overripe drops. Hang apple cider vinegar traps two to three weeks ahead of expected harvest and monitor weekly to calibrate response timing.

Our 365-Day Plant Guarantee: We ensure that our plants are delivered to you alive and healthy. If your plant does not survive its first year, you're eligible for store credit under these conditions:

1. Your location falls within the appropriate USDA hardiness zone for the plant variety (refer to our hardiness zone map).
2. You maintain the roots' moisture and plant within three days of delivery, following the instructions in our Planting Guide.

If you're concerned about your plant's health, please consult our guide, How to Tell if Your Tree is Dead or Dormant. Remember, our plants are shipped in a dormant state and may leaf out at different times based on their species. To check for plant vital