Requires a well-drained moisture retentive soil and a sheltered position. Succeeds in light shade but fruits better in a sunny position. Thrives in a loamy soil, doing well on limestone. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers some chalk in the soil but it is apt to become chlorotic if too much is present. Prefers a pH between 6 and 6.5. The plum is widely cultivated for its edible fruit in temperate zones, there are many named varieties able to supply fresh fruits from late July to November or December. Many cultivars are fully self-fertile, though some are partially self-sterile and others require cross-pollination. Where space is at a premium, or at the limits of their climatic range, plums can be grown against a wall. Most cultivars will grow well against a sunny south or west facing wall, whilst an east facing wall will suit some of the tougher cultivars, a north facing wall is not really suitable. This species is probably a hybrid of ancient origin between P. spinosa and P. cerasifera, coupled with chromosome doubling. It does not cross-pollinate with the Japanese plum, P. salicina. Prefers growing in a continental climate, mild winters tend to encourage earlier flowering with a greater risk of frost damage to the blossom. In Britain the best fruits are produced away from the western side of the country. Most members of this genus are shallow-rooted and will produce suckers if the roots are damaged. Plants in this genus are notably susceptible to honey fungus.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The fruit varies considerably from cultivar to cultivar, but it is generally somewhat mealy, soft and juicy with a delicious flavor ranging from very sweet to acid. The more acid fruits are usually only used for cooking purposes. The fruit varies widely in size according to cultivar but can be 8cm long and contains a single large seed. Seed - raw or cooked. Do not eat the seed if it is too bitter - see the notes above on toxicity. An edible gum is obtained from points of damage on the trunk. The seed contains about 20% of an edible semi-drying oil. It has an agreeable almond smell and flavor. The flowers are eaten. They are used as a garnish for salads and ice cream or brewed into a tea.

Seed - requires 2 - 3 months cold stratification and is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Sow stored seed in a cold frame as early in the year as possible. Protect the seed from mice etc. The seed can be rather slow, sometimes taking 18 months to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow them on in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood with a heel, July/August in a frame. Softwood cuttings from strongly growing plants in spring to early summer in a frame. Layering in spring.

Found in hedges in Britain.