Bubblegum grows on a vigorous, upright, dense tree. It is precocious but not self-fertile, and it will need to be partnered with another Japanese plum that blooms early or midseason, such as Waneta or Superior. Bubblegum does, however, have a good reputation as a reliable pollenizer for other trees in these bloom periods. It is also very resistant to black knot.

The plum, ripening about 15 days before Stanley, is small-medium sized, bright red, and intensely aromatic. The yellow flesh is freestone, juicy, and very sweet, with a distinctly candy-like flavor. The perfumed sweetness of Bubblegum never fails to impress, and it has quickly become a favorite in our orchard.

The original name of Bubblegum is Toka and it originates from the prolific breeding experiments of Niels Hansen. In the 1890s, finding himself in South Dakota, Dr. Hansen made it his mission to breed plant varieties that would stand up to the challenge of this cold, dry climate. He collected breeding material from even harsher climates, such as Siberia, and he is now most known for his red-fleshed apples and the Purple-Leaf Sand Cherry, a common ornamental. Toka was the result of Hansen hybridizing Prunus americana with Prunus simonii, the Chinese apricot plum. The offspring has the delicate flavor of the apricot plum bolstered by the cold hardiness and disease resistance of the American plum.