Along with peaches and nectarines, plums are the defining fruit
of the summer season.
In good soil plum trees will bear fruit in 3-5 years from
planting out. If you don't have room to plant two trees that will
pollenize each other, then it is best to plant a self fertile
cultivar.
Finding the variety you want - With increased urbanisation,
vastly increased competition for leisure time activities, tiny
backyards, longer and unsociable hours, and breakdown in the post
war 'tradition' of home food gardening, the number of fruit trees
planted has decreased dramatically. As a result, fruit trees aren't
'big sellers', and the range is restricted accordingly. This means
that you may have to try to find the cultivar you want at a
specialist nursery, or even graft it yourself (they are easy to
graft from winter stored wood, but this is a subject in itself, and
not something most of us have the time, knowledge, or inclination to
do). Historically, a very large number of plums have been introduced
to New Zealand Around 45 varieties
were introduced by the then fully taxpayer funded 'DSIR' (now
'HortResearch Ltd, 'a state owned commercial business) between 1980
and 1990. Most were discarded after evaluation. A few varieties of
interest to the home garden might have been saved, but if so, they
are not available from nurseries. Some worthwhile home varieties may
still exist on old farm homesteads, but in today's world there is
little interest in finding and evaluating them.
Season - 'Early' is around December to about mid january;
'Mid season' is about mid January to about the middle of February.
'Late season' is any plum ripening after mid February. These rough
dates can vary according to where you live, some areas being a
little earlier or later than others.
Pollenizers - If pollenizing trees aren't present, fruit set
will be either low or non-existant ( although even self infertile
trees can sometimes set a few fruit). But even with the best
pollenizers, cold wet springs and low bee numbers can cause poor
fruit set in some years. Self fertile varieties are best where there
is only space for one or two trees - but even then some years may
have light crops due to pollination problems. In particular, even in
warmer springs, very showery weather at flowering will wash away
'bee-collectable' pollen, reducing set even in self fertile
varieties. The pollenizers for a given variety are listed with the
variety notes.
'Japanese' plums are pretty much self infertile and require an
appropriate pollenizer variety (except for Duffy's early jewel).
Some varieties are better pollenizers for a given variety than
others. Where known, these are listed first (from table 1, Hopping
& Jerram 1979 - 'Pollination of Japanese Plums'). A 'less
effective' pollenizer may in some cases result in only half the
number of fruit that would have been set if a preferred pollenizer
had been used.
Rootstocks - Mariana (uncertain origin, possibly Prunus cerasifera
x P. munsoniana) rootstock is often used in New Zealand for
home garden trees as it helps reduce final tree size, (depending on
culltivar) to 3 to 4 metres. A few Japanese varieties are
large trees on this stock, but virtually all European plums are held
at medium size. It is able to tolerate heavy wet soils better than
most rootstocks. Although it is shallow rooted, it performs well
even in very sandy soils as long as water is available. It is
incompatible with a few varieties (notably 'Damson' and
'President'). It rarely suckers, induces early fruitng, and aids
heavy bearing. Possibly the best stock for home garden trees. Pixie (P. insititia) has been promoted as the answer
to producing a truly dwarf plum, as it gives early vigor and
therefore early fruiting, but stops the tree at about 2 metres in
ultimate height. Sadly, it has compatibility problems with some
varieties. 'Duffy's early Jewel',
'Purple King', 'Santa
Rosa' and 'Sultan' are recognised by the
nursery industry as being compatible on this rootstock. It is also
an acceptable fairly early season dessert plum in its own right. St.Julian X (Prunus institia) at one stage was used
widely because it is compatible with almost any Prunus,
whether peach, plum, apricot or nectarine. The rootstock sends up
suckers all over the place, not only a nuisance in the lawn, but
preventing you from spraying around the trunk to tidy it up. Avoid
any tree grown on this stock! St. Julian A (Prunus institia) also produces medium
('semi dwarfing) to large trees, depending on variety. A few
varieties are incompatible with this rootstock. Myrobalan B (Prunus cerasifera hybrid) produces a
medium size tree when used for japanese plums, and full sized trees
when used for European plums (except 'Greengage'). A 'cherry plum', this rootstock is also
grown for its ability to pollenize European and Japanese plums that
flower at the same time. It rarely produces suckers, and tolerates a
wide range of soils. 'Brompton', a European plum (Prunus domestica)
rootstock selected for its compatibility with all varieties,
somewhat reduces the size of Japanese plum cultivars. When used for
european plums, it reduces the size of some, but others - notably,
'Italian' and 'Stanley', are unaffected. Peach (Prunus persica), while some seedling peaches
are OK with some varieties, is broadly unsuitable as a rootstock for
plums, as it has variable effects on vigor and fruit quality
(according to the varying seed sources), and incompatibility with
some varieties may cause the death of the tree.
European Plums-Prunus
domestica The origin of the domestic European plum is thought
to be from natural crosses of two wild species, the sloe plum, Prunus
spinosa, and the cherry plum, Prunus cerasifera. These
are usually, but certainly not always, yellow fleshed blue skinned
plums, that are often naturally 'drier' than the Japanese plums, and
with a more delicate and refined flavor.
They also encompass prune plums, which are sweet but rather insipid.
Many prune plums were introduced by Government agencies in the early
1980's. They were released to the nursery trade in the mid eighties,
but are now hard to find.
The Damson plum is also in this group, but is a seperate
species, Prunus institia. In contrast to P. domestica,
it is very acid, and usually used soley for preserves or flavored
gin.
European plums are usually late flowering and have a higher winter
chill requirement than Japanese plums. Some European plums,
notably the damson, produce prodigously in the warm temperate areas,
others hardy at all. As a general rule, they are better adapted to
temperate, rather than warm temperate areas.
Cherry plums - very small
cherry-like plums, red or yellow, with thin skin, pleasant sweet
fruit. Usually small species or hybrids of small species. May be
derived from Prunus cerasifera,P. americana,
P. besseyi or others. Most 'cherry plums' in New Zealand are
probably Prunus cerasifera or interspecific hybrids of this
species. 'Cherry plums' were sometimes crossed with Japanese
plums (Prunus salicina) to obtain better sized early dessert
plums. Prunus cerasifera is an excellent pollenizer for
'Japanese' plums, but flowers usually only co-incide with 'Billington'. In some years, they overlap
with the start of 'George Wilson's'
flowering period.
'Japanese' Plums - Prunus
salicina. Some varieties are crosses with various other plum
species, but are nevertheless regarded as 'Japanese' plums. This
species is actually Chinese, but became known from seedlings
introduced from Japan, so the misnomer stuck. This species blooms
early, and can be damaged by early spring frosts. This makes them
more generally suited to warm temperate rather than temperate areas.
Plumcots-A plumcot is a cross between
an apricot and plum (Prunus armeniaca x Prunus domestica).
They are probably usually self fertile. They flower early, around
September, and over quite a long time. The trees have very showy
quite large white flowers, and are an attractive early spring
ornamental in their own right.
EUROPEAN PLUMS
ANGELINA BURDETT - Early season. This dark purple skinned,
yellow-green fleshed medium sized plum has excellent flavor, but has
a fairly high chilling requirement. Pollenizers are 'Greengage' and
'President'.
CACAK EARLY- Early season. Medium sized blue-black prune plum
CACAK BEST - Mid season. Large blue-black prune plum.
TRAGEDY PRUNE - Early season. Originally introduced by an early
pioneer days nursery in Northland, this yellow fleshed, purple
skinned prune bears reasonably well in warmer parts of New Zealand.
COES GOLDEN DROP - Mid season. Large, oval, yellow skinned,
yellow firm fleshed fruit of sweet and fine flavor if fully ripened
on the tree. Requires a sunny aspect to fully ripen the fruit.
Pollenizers 'Greengage' and 'President'. C.G.D. bears reasonably
well in warm temperate areas.
MANGAMUKA GOLDEN DROP - Mid season. An old cultivar found at
Mangamuka, Northland, by Koanga Nursery. Yellow skin tinged
green, yellow flesh, melting and very sweet. Pollenizers
uncertain, Greengage is likely, and perhaps Sugar Prune.
GREEN GAGE (Reine-Claude Dorée) - Mid season.The original greengage,
introduced in France in the sixteenth century, and named
'Reine-Claude' in honour of the King of France's wife. The small to
medium sized fruit are green, or in some variants, greenish yellow.
The flesh is a transluscent greenish yellow, and the taste is pure
nectar, with brix (sugar) levels approaching 30 when well ripened.
It is one of the most refined and exquisitely flavored plums there
is. Unfortuneately, like most gages, most variants have a fairly
high winter chilling requirement, and fruit poorly if at all in warm
temperate areas. Not really self fertile, use Stanley, Coe's Golden
Drop or Angelina Burdett as pollenizer.
GROSS GRUNE RENEKLODE-syn. 'Greengage'. Mid season. A small round
greenish yellow prune plum.
WANGENHEIM- Mid season. The small fruit have dark red skin. A prune
plum.
MARAHEMO PRUNE - Mid season. A small, mottled skinned plum found at
Marahemo by Koanga Nursery, Northland. Adapted to bearing in warmer
areas. It is said to be self fertile.
LUISA - Mid season (presumed chance seedling from the Waikato) a
large yellow skinned and yellow fleshed plum that is almost
freestone. Aromatic, fine flesh, juicy, sweet if well ripened on the
tree. Relatively disease resistant in more humid parts of New
Zealand. Self fertile.
ITALIAN-syn.'Fellenburg' - Late season. A very well known prune plum
in the Western United States, 'Italian' is large, dark blue with a
heavy bloom, and is a freestone. It has a better flavor than
'Stanley' prune plum. It bears extremely heavily, but often drops a
lot of fruit in summer. The greenish yellow flesh turns dark wine
when cooked, making it very attractive when canned/bottled.
Partially self fertile.
D'AGEN 707 - Late season. A small, red skinned, clingstone prune
plum.
DAMSON - Late season. These small, round, blue-black plums are
covered in a heavy bloom (like many blue European plums) and have
amber-green flesh. They are acid, and are usually used for
jelly/jams or for damson gin (!), but if the fruit are left on the
tree very late they become of acceptable eating quality, if rather
'sharp'. The trees are vigorous and bear prodigously, with some
selections ('damson' tends to be a generic term for many similar
varieties) bearing very well in the warm temperate areas. Disease
resistant. Self fertile.
HAUSZWETSCHE - Late season. A small fruited blue black prune plum,
which altho' semi-clingstone is self fertile.
REINE CLAUDE de BAVAY - Late season. One of the greengage type
plums. Yellowish green skin and flesh when fully ripe. The flesh is
a little firmer than the true greengage, and flavour not quite as
good, but still superb dessert quality.
STANLEY - Late season. The large purplish-blue freestone fruit have
greenish-yellow flesh which is juicy and sweet, but somewhat
insipid. It does not require a pollenizer, and is itself a useful
pollenizer for other varieties. The tree is large and spreading, and
starts into fruiting young. It crops heavily. Stanley is very
suceptible to brown rot, so it will need to be sprayed with
fungicide in wet areas.The fruit are also susceptible to splitting
after rain.
VICTORY - late season. A large, firm fleshed, blue prune-plum
ripening a few days after Stanley. Its eating quality is rated
particularly good for a prune plum. It starts fruiting early, and is
very productive. Pollinized by 'Italian Prune' and 'Stanley'.
CHERRY PLUMS
HEARD – early, suitable for jam rather than fresh eating, said to
pollenize 'Black Doris', 'Omega' and 'Fortune'.
PERNEL – another small early plum only suitable for jam making,
probably named from a Hawkes Bay orchard, said to pollenize 'Black
Doris' and 'Omega'.
JAPANESE PLUMS
WILSON'S EARLY - Possibly 'Burbank' x
'Cherry plum'. Early season (pre - Christmas). One of the earliest
plums to ripen, but the bright red yellow fleshed fruit are
relatively small and tend to biennial bearing. Fruit size can be
increased by fruit thinning. 'Doris'
and
'Mariposa'
are
likely
to have the best flowering overlap with this cultivar ('Duffy's
Early Jewel' and 'Santa
Rosa' also have compatible pollen, but their flowering period
doesn't usually overlap enough)..
BILLINGTON - 'Billington Early' (chance
seedling, possibly Cherry plum X Satsuma). Early season. Billington
is a small meaty plum with dark red skin and firm, light red, very
good flavored flesh. When cooked, bottled, or used to make jam, it
has no bitterness. It retains its bright red flesh color when
poached ("when cooked resembles a dish of blood" according to
Hayward Wright, who introduced it!). It crops very heavily, hangs on
the tree well, and is notably resistant to bacterial diseases. Its
chief claim to fame is that it is the first fully red
fleshed plum to ripen - about, or just after, Christmas. Self
infertile (Hopping & Jerram 1979), pollenized by 'cherry plum'.
DUFFY'S EARLY JEWEL - 'Duffs Early
Jewel'. Early season (follows 'Wilsons Early'). DEJ is also a small
fruit, but a bit larger than 'Wilson's Early, and also has red skin
and yellow flesh.' DEJ has the advantage of being self fertile. In
addition it is a useful pollenizer for other cultivars. Although it
does not actually need a pollenizer, 'Santa Rosa' and 'Doris' have compatible pollen.
BLACK AMBER - Early season, about 2 weeks
after 'Wilsons Early'. A handsome, very dark skinned, very firm
fleshed plum with little flavor and only moderate sweetness. The
flesh is pinky suffused over light amber yellow. Trees crop heavily.
Suceptible to bacterial diseases. .Freestone.
BLACK DIAMOND®- 'Suplumeleven' Early
season. A cross between 'Angelano' and an unknown plum.
(Confusingly, the 'Black Diamond' name is a trademark, and is used
in USA for 4 dark skinned early plum cultivars, including
Suplumeleven.). This patented cultivar may not be available to home
gardeners (distribution limited to contracting orchardists). A
semi-spreading, vigorous tree. Another handsome, very dark
skinned, very firm fleshed plum with very little flavor and only
moderate sweetness. The flesh is pinky-red sometimes suffused with
pale yellow. Clingstone. Pollenized by 'Fortune'.
FORTUNE - Early season. Breeding is Laroda x
[Queen Anne x Late Santa Rosa], introduced 1988. Medium to large
fruit with bright red and yellow skin, and yellow very firm flesh
suffused with pink. Flavour is perfumed, sweetness is moderate to
good. It is semi-freestone. The tree is adaptable, vigorous and
upright. Pollenized by 'Santa
Rosa'.
QUEEN ROSA - Early season. Derived
from Santa Rosa. The fruit is very similar to 'Santa Rosa',
but ripens about a week earlier. Somewhat prone to bacterial
diseases.Altho, like 'Santa Rosa', it is prone to fruit drop, 'Queen
Rosa' may be overall a heavier and more consistant cropper than
'Santa Rosa'. Probably self fertile, the pollenizers should be those
for 'Santa Rosa'.
SANTA ROSA - (complex hybrid of P.
salicina, P. simonii, and P. americana)
Early season. S.R. is a medium large, crimson to purplish red,
lightly freckled plum with yellow flesh slightly suffused with pink
especially near the pit. The fruit is firm, sweet, juicy, and
aromatic, except near the pit, where it is quite acid. The tree is
widely adapted. Although noted by Hopping & Jerram 1979 as self
infertile, it is generally regarded as at least partly self fertile
(sets some fruit without a pollenizer, but sets a lot more with
one). The tree is hardy, upright and vigorous, and highly
productive. Its only fault is that it sometimes drops fruit before
they are completely ripe. S.R. is a very important commercial
cultivar and readily available in the supermarket. Nevertheless, it
is a very good choice for the home garden. Pollenizers are 'Duffys Early Jewel' and
'Alpha' (this variety is rarely available). 'Mariposa' is a less
effective pollenizer.
BURBANK - syn. 'Wright's Early'. Early mid
season. Burbank plums are medium sized, roundish, bright red mottled
yellow skin, and have deep yellow flesh of very good flavor. The
trees are partially self fertile, and often set extremely heavily,
which can lead to fungal disease such as brown rot spreading
quickly, and can cause biennial bearing. The trees are low growing,
flat topped, and with drooping limbs. Burbank trees tolerate more
cold than some of the other Japanese cultivars, but also need
relatively little winter chill for flowering. 'Beauty', 'Methley', 'Santa Rosa' and 'Duffy's Early Jewel' act as
pollenizers.
HAWERA - Early mid season. A chance seedling
from the roadside in Hawera. Possibly a 'Sultan' or 'Satsuma' seedling. Large dark red fruit
with very firm dark red flesh. Very good flavor. Probably self
fertile, but 'Santa Rosa' or 'Duffy's Early Jewel' might
act as pollenizers to increase set.
SULTAN - Early mid season. Similar to 'Satsuma', a medium to large, oval, red
fleshed, deep red skinned plum that is soft and juicy and has good
flavor. It bears heavily on a rather low, spreading tree. This
naturally small size tree, when combined with the dwarfing 'pixie'
rootstock, may cause this variety to be very early to come into
bearing, and very small in ultimate tree size. Time will tell.
('Pixie' rootstock is relatively new to New Zealand). Pollenizers
are 'Santa Rosa' and 'Elephant Heart'. 'Black Doris', Red Doris, and 'Duff'y's Early Jewel' are
less effective pollenizers.
DORIS - Mid season.(Seedling selection of
'Satsuma') Doris is a medium sized red skinned yellow fleshed plum
that is sweet, juicy, and with good flavor. Doris crops extremely
heavily. It is pollenized by 'Duffy's
Early Jewel' and Santa Rosa. A
rarely available variety, 'Mariposa', is a less effective pollenizer
SATSUMA -Syn. 'blood plum'. Mid season. A
very large fruit with solid deep red skin and firm flesh. The small
pit is semi freestone. Satsuma is juicy, and it has a particularly
good flavor. The tree is an upright grower. 'Santa
Rosa' and 'Beauty' will pollenize Satsuma.
BLACK DORIS - ('Doris' seedling selection)
Mid-Late season. Medium to large very dark black-purple freestone
fruit with dark red very firm flesh. Good for bottling (and jam)
because of it's firmness and deep color. B.D. is a vigorous, upright
tree, and a heavy cropper. Best pollenizers are 'Duffy's Early Jewel' and 'Elephant Heart'. 'Santa Rosa' and 'Red Doris' are less
effective
PURPLE KING - Mid-late season.('Hale" x
'Doris') This large fruit has purplish red skin covered with a heavy
bloom, and excellent flavored, yellow flesh (tinged wine red near
the stone). P.K. is a very vigorous tree. Pollenizers - 'Sultan',
'Doris',
or
'Duffy's
Early Jewel'. 'Elephant Heart' may also pollenize ths variety.
It is well suited to warmer, more humid areas, as it has some
resistance to bacterial diseases.
ELEPHANT HEART - Late season.
Introduced by Luther Burbank in 1929, unknown parentage. A large,
dark reddish purple conic fruit with purple-red sweet, juicy flesh.
It is a freestone, and useful for fresh eating and canning/bottling.
The tree is vigorous and healthy, but crops are poor in absence of
the right pollenizer. Heavy bearing when the right pollinizer
variety is available, and hangs well on the tree for an extended
harvest period. Pollenizers are 'Santa Rosa',
'Burbank' 'Redheart', and 'Laroda' (introduced, but possibly not now in NZ).
GEORGE WILSON - syn. 'Omega'. - Late
season. A large, dark port wine red skinned, firm crimson red
fleshed plum of good flavor, very good storage ability (will keep
for 3 weeks or more after picking), and regular heavy crops.
Somewhat prone to baterial diseases. Pollenizers are 'Elephant Heart' and 'Duffy's Early Jewel'. Less
effective pollinizer varieties are 'Santa
Rosa' and 'Red Doris'.
BLACK PRINCE ('Heirloom' variety from
Kohukohu, Northland, name uncertain. Found by Koanga Nurseries) Late
season. Ripens early through to late april. A large plum with rather
unattractive blotchy black purple tinged green skin, with reddish
black flesh and very good flavor. Freestone. Pollinizer unknown,
'Santa Rosa' would be a good bet, possibly 'Duffs Early Jewel'.
TORWICK - late season. (Selected by a
Mr.Torwick, possibly an 'Ox-Heart' ('Burbank' X 'Methley')
seedling). Not available to home gardeners yet, but most desirable
if it ever appears. This is a medium sized, almost round fruit, with
an even purple skin. This is a typical 'blood' plum, with firm, dark
red and juicy flesh. It is semi-clingstone. Torwick matures in
March, with some fruit going on into late March, making it, one of
the very latest plums. Pollenizer is 'Santa Rosa'.
PLUMCOTS
KERBY-actually the true cultivar name - if it has ever been
recognised as a cultivar as such - is unknown. This is a tree that
has been in NZ for a very long time, and whether it is a local
seedling or a variety introduced by Hayward Wright (father of the
Kiwifruit) in the 30's is unknown. The original tree from which buds
were taken was in Northland, possibly Kawakawa. Certainly,
Wright sold plumcots at that time -"These will fruit whereas the
apricot is [a] shy [bearer]. We have them in 3 varieties, viz,:
White Flesh, Red Flesh and Yellow Flesh". One of Wrights catalogues
also lists the cultivar 'Apex', described as a "Ripens with the
earliest plums...very large...globular...deep pink
[skin]...freestone; flesh honey-yellow, firm, rich, aromatic,
apricot-like"
Kerby is a very early variety with light yellow flesh, freestone
variety. The fruit are pinkish red skinned, juicy, mild, delicately
flavored, with a hint of bitterness. They resist splitting. They are
early to flower, and might possibly be pollinized by or pollinize
apricots. They have an extended flowering period, which takes in the
flowering period of 'Pixie' plum. One nursery says 'Duffs early
jewel' and 'Santa Rosa' will also pollinize plumcots.
LOST VARIETIES
Varieties introduced to New Zealand by the then DSIR at Havelock
North between about 1980 and 1990 which are not listed in NZ home
garden nursery lists - Spring Beaut, Red Beaut, Dorado,
AU-Producer, 46-G-280, Black Beaut, Homeside, Mariposa,
Friar, Laroda, Nubiana, Reubennel, Dolly,
Queen Ann, Redgold, Freedom, El Dorado, Simka, Frontier, Casselman,
Plumcrimson, Roysum, Autumn Giant.