For 30 years, the homeowner has enjoyed this purple plum tree. Purple plums are one of the prettiest ornamental trees in our area. They have dark purple foliage with bright pink flowers in the spring.
Over the past two seasons and for no other reason than excessive spring moisture, this purple plum has produced a large amount of plums. This year especially, the excessive amount of fruit has become a huge problem. This tree hangs over the client’s front walk, the neighbor’s front garden and a common area walkway. The amount of fruit dropping on a daily basis has become a huge nuisance.
Not only is it a hazard for fruit falling on people as they walk through, but the smashed fruit make a sticky mess that attract bees and other insects. There is also the problem of an excessive amount of squirrels and birds being attracted to the tree, and all the problems they bring.
And finally, the weight of the fruit is causing the upper canopy of the tree to bend, which increases the risk of the limbs breaking. Unfortunately, no amount of pruning can solve this problem. The real solution is to remove the tree and replace with something that does not produce fruit.
