My favorite plum is Mariposa plum; not worth growing in high chill areas, very prone to spring frosts----this plum is very low chill, 300 chill hours.

Weatherman, I don't find Mariposa any more susceptible to spring frosts than the other Japanese plums -- they are all early bloomers.

Flower child, you may need to get more European plums if you have late frost problems, the Japanese plums are all early. I don't know about your area. The downside of the Euros is they are very prone to brown rot, watch out for that.

My favorite Japanese and hybrid plums are currently Santa Rosa, Satsuma, and Purple Heart. Santa Rosa is a must if it works, it is a unique sweet-tart taste (sweet flesh, tart skin). Satsuma and Purple Heart (as well as Mariposa) are red-fleshed plums and you definitely want at least one of those. My favorite Euros are French Petite aka French Prune, and Middleburg.

Scott

My favorite plum is Elephant Heart, hands down, but I've heard it's difficult to grow outside of California. I harvested my first pluots last year and I thought both Flavor King and Flavor Grenade were excellent.