European

• European plums are oval-shaped. Dried plums, or prunes, are typically made from European types that are also used for cooking, canning and eating fresh. Damson is an ancient variety native to Damascus. Damson has blue skin and yellow flesh that clings to the stones. Stanley plums are a similar freestone variety with non-cling seeds. Varieties developed at Cornell University include Castleton, a multi-purpose freestone plum.
  
  

Japanese

• Japanese plums are round, sweet and juicy. They ripen to several colors, including green, yellow, red, deep red and black. The flesh color of Japanese plums ranges from yellow to pink to red. Methley, Shiro and Ozark Premiere are Japanese plum varieties commonly grown in the U.S.
  
  

North American

• The Mexican plum, or bigtree plum, is a native North American tree that produces sweet, juicy fruits. Its hardiness makes it valuable as a rootstock for grafting other commercial varieties.