'Toka' Japanese Plum

Toka Japanese Plum is a hardy, mid-season variety prized for both its flavour and its reliability in the orchard.

Often called the "Bubblegum plum," Toka plums have a rich, aromatic sweetness with a candy-like quality that makes them unforgettable. The fruit has reddish skin and golden-amber flesh that is perfect for fresh eating, jams, jellies, and baking. 

Developed in South Dakota in 1911, Toka is remarkably cold-hardy (-40ºC). While it can set some fruit on its own, Toka is renowned as one of the best pollinators for other Japanese plums, and would do benefit from another variety of Japanese plum for cross-pollination. Its blossoms draw in bees and pollinators each spring, while the fruit reward gardeners in mid-summer.  

Common names: Toka Japanese Plum, Toka Plum, Bubblegum Plum

Edible: Fruit
Harvest timing: August

Scientific name: Prunus salicina 'Toka'
Light requirements: Full sun 
Full-grown size: Semi-dwarf (12-15' tall x 10-12' wide, smaller with pruning)
Hardiness: Zone 3 
Pollination: Partially self-fertile, but increased yields with cross-pollination with another variety of Japanese plum. Makes an excellent pollinator for other Japanese plums.
Wildlife: Fragrant blossoms attract bees and other pollinators; ripe fruit appeals to birds, wasps, and small mammals.
Origin: Species native to China. Cultivar bred in South Dakota, USA in 1911 by Niels E. Hansen. 
Noteworthy: Cold hardiness and candy-like flavour.