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Step 1
Depending on the season, you may be able to identify your tree by when it flowers and fruits. Plums flower in the early spring, with clusters of 3 to 5 pink flowers against a backdrop of deep green, almond-shaped leaves. Some types of plum trees flower again in autumn. After 4 to 5 years, plum trees begin to grow fruit. In mid-May plums begin to form fruit, and by July they are half-sized. Plum trees are deciduous. In the fall, the leaves of a plum tree turn colors and eventually fall off. If your tree stays green throughout the year, it is not a plum tree.
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Step 2
Plums grow in zones 3 to 9. If you are outside of these growing zones, your tree is probably not a plum.
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Step 3
Pay attention to where the tree is growing and its size. Plum trees prefer full sun. If your tree is thriving in a very shady place, it is probably not a plum tree. Plum trees can grow to be up to 28 feet tall, but if pruned and trained may be 5 to 7 feet tall.
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Step 4
Plum trees have roots that grow very near the surface, and so often grow many smaller trees (or suckers) as far as 9 feet from the tree. If you see a cluster of several smaller trees around the main trunk, it might be a plum tree.
