Native & adapted

June plum

Spondias dulcis

Also known as Ambarella · Golden apple · Otaheite apple · Kedondong

A tropical tree with crunchy, tart-sweet green fruit. The dwarf form fruits young and stays small enough for a large container.

EdibleFruitingContainer friendlyFrost tender

Landscape layersLower canopy

Mature size

6–10 ft tall for the dwarf form; standard trees 20–30 ft

Climate fit

Urban core · USDA 9b–10a · Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b

Plant spacing

8 ft apart for dwarf plants

Frost

Damaged at 32°F.

Special categories

EDIBLE

Hardiness guidance

USDA 10–11; damaged near 32°F

Winter chill

None

Typical harvest

Mostly fall into winter.

Before you plant

These conditions determine whether it will thrive.

Soil chemistry

Fast-draining soil rich in compost. Phoenix soil is alkaline, so work in soil sulfur and organic matter and use chelated iron if new leaves turn yellow between the veins.

Required microclimate

Placement is part of the growing system.

Sheltered, frost-protected spot or a large container.

Cold hardiness

Cover in a hard freeze below 29°F

A Phoenix grower reports it's hardy to about 29°F and drops its leaves for winter; UF/IFAS says young trees can die at 29 to 30°F and flowers and small fruit are hurt below 40°F. Dwarf types are easy to cover, so throw frost cloth over it on the coldest nights.

Leaves and wood: damaged below 29°F · Blossoms and fruit: below 40°F

Heat tolerance

Shade from late-afternoon sun

Handles Phoenix summer heat well in full sun, but young trunks sunburn, so paint them with diluted white latex. It sits semi-dormant through winter and pushes new growth around April.

Sources:

phoenixtropicals.com , edis.ifas.ufl.edu

Right plant, right place

Will June plum grow at your Arizona property?

Choose the dwarf form for Phoenix; it often fruits in its first or second year.

Best regional fit: Urban core · USDA 9b–10a, Valley suburbs · USDA 9a–9b.

Light

Sun exposure

Morning sun with afternoon shade from June through September, such as the east side of a house or under a taller nurse tree. Protect from frost on winter nights.

Water

Irrigation

Moderate and steady in the growing season.

Fruit set

Pollination

Self-fertile.

Harvest

How to use it

Eaten green and crunchy with salt and chili, ripe and yellow, or made into juice and chutney.

Planting & stewardship

How to help June plum thrive

1
Shade from afternoon sun in summer.
2
Cover on every frost night.
3
Feed lightly during the warm season.
4
Prune lightly to shape.

Read the horticultural reference ↗