Choosing a Fruit tree - Ask Extension
I live in Silver Spring and I want to plant a fruit tree in memory of my mom who passed away 6 months ago. I am looking at either a peach or a plum tr...
Knowledgebase
Choosing a Fruit tree #924338
Asked February 08, 2026, 12:50 PM EST
I live in Silver Spring and I want to plant a fruit tree in memory of my mom who passed away 6 months ago. I am looking at either a peach or a plum tree. Which one is a better choice ? The spot would be in front of the house on a slight slope with full sun. Anything else I have to consider. It has to be self pollinating as I don't have space for 2 trees. In the picture the tree would be on top of the slope near the lavender bushes Thanks
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
All peach varieties are self-pollinating, whereas only some plum varieties are. In terms of mature size, since the planting site is on the small side for a fruit tree, look for a tree grafted to be dwarf rather than semi-dwarf or standard, since dwarfing rootstocks keep the canopy more compact. There are some very dwarf or genetically dwarf peach varieties on the market, but often they are decorative types that don't produce harvestable fruit, just ornamental flowers and sometimes colorful plum-purple foliage. Some fruit-bearing exceptions are peach varieties like 'Bonanza', 'Empress', and 'Sensation', which mature only about 6 feet tall and wide.
As a generalization, a mature plum will be larger than a mature peach, but the size difference isn't too great. If you don't choose a genetic dwarf tree, expect roughly a 10 foot mature height and width; potentially 12 to 15 feet for a standard-size variety. Based on pruning techniques, the tree's final size may be proportionately wider than tall.
All stone and pome fruit trees are high-maintenance, so the better the inherent disease resistance a variety has, the better to minimize the need for yearly preventative pesticide applications that help protect tree health and crop quality. You can explore our Growing Stone Fruits page for more information and a guide to typical pest and disease issues, which tend to be shared between peaches and plums since they are related. Be aware that both plums and peaches tend to bloom early in spring, and if we have a warm spell followed by a cold snap, that could freeze the flowers, damaging or killing them and preventing the tree from producing a harvest for that year.
Miri
As a generalization, a mature plum will be larger than a mature peach, but the size difference isn't too great. If you don't choose a genetic dwarf tree, expect roughly a 10 foot mature height and width; potentially 12 to 15 feet for a standard-size variety. Based on pruning techniques, the tree's final size may be proportionately wider than tall.
All stone and pome fruit trees are high-maintenance, so the better the inherent disease resistance a variety has, the better to minimize the need for yearly preventative pesticide applications that help protect tree health and crop quality. You can explore our Growing Stone Fruits page for more information and a guide to typical pest and disease issues, which tend to be shared between peaches and plums since they are related. Be aware that both plums and peaches tend to bloom early in spring, and if we have a warm spell followed by a cold snap, that could freeze the flowers, damaging or killing them and preventing the tree from producing a harvest for that year.
Miri
