posted 8 years ago
From what I've read, the Friar plum is self-pollinating, but all self-pollinating trees (plum, apple, pear etc.) do better with other varieties nearby to aid in fruit set. Plums are pollinated by insects, not the wind. There are limits tho, as Asian plum cultivars tend not pollinate European cultivars and vice-versa. Your Black Diamond is Prunus Domestica or a European plum cultivar and your Friar is Prunus Salicina or Asian. Your other varieties may pollinate them and you may have no issues. Professor Alderman of the University of Minnesota wrote in 1934 "very few hybrid plums would accept pollen freely from other hybrids, but they all accept pollen from native plums"*. I hope this is useful for you. Cheers!
* The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillips, p. 280
"Study books and observe nature; if they do not agree, throw away the books." ~ William A. Albrecht