Plums & Prunes
Japanese plums are the most common fresh eating plums in the USA. They are larger, rounder (or heart shaped), and firmer than European plums.
European plums has a long history of cultivation and are one of the main species grown worldwide. Fruit are generally oval, smaller, and more variable in color than Japanese plums.
European plum trees are larger and more erect than Japanese plums. Japanese plum trees have rougher bark, more persistent spurs, and more numerous flowers than European plums. They are also more precocious, disease resistant, and vigorous than European plums.
European plums bloom later than Japanese plums.
Flowers are more abundant in Japanese plums.
Beauty
Sweet, flavorful plum, more widely adapted than Santa Rosa (more productive in coastal climates). Red overyellow skin, amber flesh streaked red. Ripens June in Central Calif. 250 hours. Self-fruitful.
Burbank
Red and golden yellow skin. Yellow-orange (apricot colored) flesh is firm, sweet, aromatic, juicy and uniquely flavored. Relatively small tree, cold hardy. Imported from Japan by Luther Burbank. 400 hours. Pollinated by Santa Rosa.
Burgundy
Maroon-colored skin and flesh. Sweet, with little or no tartness and a very pleasing, mild flavor. Prolonged harvest, mid-July to mid-August in Central Calif. Very productive. Narrow, upright habit. 400 hours. Self-fruitful.
Catalina
Large, black, favorite fresh market plum. Sweet when fully ripe, with very little tartness at skin and pit. Ripe late July in Central Calif. Vigorous, productive tree. 400 hours. Self-fruitful.
El Dorado
Dark, nearly black skin, medium to large size, flattened shape, firm amber flesh. Very pleasing flavor and sweetness. Still firm when fully ripe. 400 hours. Pollenizer required: Santa Rosa or Catalina.
Elephant Heart
Home-orchard favorite-large, heart-shaped fruit with sweet, juicy, richly flavored, firm red flesh. Dark reddish-purple mottled skin. Long harvest season-September in Central Calif. Hardy, heavy bearing. 500 hours. Pollinate with Beauty or Santa Rosa.
Emerald Beaut
One of the highest-rated plums in blind fruit tastings at Dave Wilson Nursery. Light green skin, greenish-yellow to orange freestone flesh. Harvest begins late August in Central Calif. Ripe fruit continues to sweeten, becoming exceptionally sweet, but remaining crisp and crunchy. Ripe fruit holds on tree longer than any other stone fruit - two months or more! 6-700 hours. Pollenizer required: Beauty, Burgundy, Late Santa Rosa, Nubiana, Flavor King Pluot®. Pat. No. 9162. (Zaiger)
Fortune
Large, attractive fruit with bright red and yellow skin. Firm, flavorful, semi-freestone yellow flesh, very nice dessert quality. Harvest mid-August in Central Calif. Originated in Fresno, Calif. Introduced in 1988. 500 hours. Pollenizer required: Santa Rosa or Late Santa Rosa.
Friar
Large, round, black skin, amber flesh. Harvest is prolonged-fruit is hard-ripe 4-5 weeks after Santa Rosa, but sweetest and most delicious several weeks later (mid/late Aug. in Central Calif.). 400 hours. Self-fruitful or plant with Santa Rosa.
Golden Nectar
Popular yellow dessert plum. Large, oblong fruit with waxy, thin, amber skin. Amber flesh is firm, sweet & flavorful. Very small pit. August harvest in Central California. Chilling requirement about 500 hours. Self-fruitful. Pat # 4977
Howard Miracle
Large, firm, juicy, freestone, with distinctive flavor. Amber flesh; yellow skin blushed with red. Originated in Montebello, east of Las Angeles. Low chilling requirement, about 400 hours. Pollenizer required: another Japanese plum such as Beauty or Santa Rosa.
Kelsey
Large, firm, aromatic, rich flavor, keeps well. Low acid. Heart shaped, greenish- yellow thin skin, red blush. Small pit, freestone when ripe. Vigorous, heavy bearing. 400hours. Pollinated by Santa Rosa, Beauty, or Wickson.
Laroda
Dark purple fruit similar to Santa Rosa, but larger and 5-6 weeks later. Excellent flavor, juicy, one of the best. Prolonged harvest: mid-July to mid-August. 400 hours. Pollenizer required: Santa Rosa, Catalina, or Nubiana.
Late Santa Rosa
Medium to large reddish-purple skin, red-streaked amber flesh. Tart-sweet with rich flavor when fully ripe. Harvest about one month after Santa Rosa. 500 hours. Self-fruitful.
Mariposa (Improved Satsuma)
Large, red-fleshed, sweet, juicy, firm, delicious. Small pit, nearly freestone. Mottled maroon over green skin. Use fresh or cooked. Harvest August. 250 hours. Pollinated by Beauty, Nubiana, or Santa Rosa.
Methley
Juicy, sweet, red flesh, mild flavor. Reddish-purple skin. Harvest in June in central CA. Attractive tree, heavy bearing and vigorous. 250 hours or less. Self-fruitful.
Nubiana
Purplish-black skin, amber flesh. Large, firm, flattened shape. Sweet, flavorful, very little tartness at skin or pit. Favorite fresh market fruit, excellent for home orchard. Late July. 4-500 hours. Self-fruitful.
Queen Ann
Fine dessert plum. Large, sweet, semi-freestone. Very little tartness at skin or pit. Purple skin, red-streaked amber flesh. Late July in Central CA. Small tree. 500 hrs. Pollinated by Santa Rosa or Wickson.
Redheart
Medium to large fruit with maroon over amber-green skin. Nearly freestone dark red flesh is firm, meaty, sweet, juicy, aromatic. Ripens mid-July in Central Calif., holds well on tree when ripe. Vigorous, productive tree. Good pollenizer for other Japanese plums. 500 hours. Pollenizer required: Elephant Heart, Santa Rosa, Late Santa Rosa, Wickson, Burbank.
Santa Rosa
Most popular plum in California & Arizona. Juicy, tangy, flavorful. Reddish-purple skin, amber flesh tinged red. Late June in Central Calif. 300 hours. Self-fruitful.
Satsuma
Long-time favorite plum in CA. Mottled maroon over green skin, dark red meaty flesh. Sweet, mild, not tart. Excellent for jam. Harvest late July. 300 hours. Pollinated by Santa Rosa or Beauty.
Shiro
Medium size greenish-yellow fruit is juicy, moderately sweet with a pleasing mild flavor. Bears reliably in many climates, including Western Oregon and California's northern coast. Late June/early July in Central Calif. 600 hours. Self-fruitful.
Superior
Japanese-American Hybrid. Large firm delicious fruit. Bears earlier and heavier than most plum trees. Ripens in August-September. Zone 4.
Weeping Santa Rosa Semi-Dwarf
One of the most flavorful, aromatic Japanese plums when fully ripe. Beautiful 8-10 ft. tree, weeping growth habit - long slender limbs bow gracefully to the ground. Easily espaliered. 400 hours. Self-fruitful.
Wickson
Large, heart-shaped greenish-yellow fruit Very sweet, translucent flesh. Little or no tartness at skin or pit. Mid-season, three weeks after Santa Rosa. Partly self-fruitful, or pollinated by Kelsey or Santa Rosa. 500 hours.
European & Hybrid Plums
Blue Damson
Very old variety, rugged and dependable. Small, blue-black tart plums for jams & Jellies. Late blooming, cold hardy, heavy bearing. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.
Brooks
Long-time favorite in Western Oregon. Ovalshaped fruit with purplish-black skin and yellow flesh. Larger and sweeter than Italian. Used fresh and for canning and drying. Ripens one week earlier than Italian. Discovered in Lafayette, Oregon (seedling of Italian). Introduced in 1946. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.
Early Italian (Richards)
Similar to Italian, but sweeter, slightly larger and more productive. Shorter growing season requirement than Italian (ripens 1-2 weeks earlier). Originated near Yakima, Washington. Introduced in 1935. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.
French Improved Prune
California's commercial prune. Reddish-purple skin, dark amber flesh. Very sweet, high quality fruit-dessert/can/dry. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.
Green Gage Plum
European plum, later blooming than Santa Rosa and other Japanese types. Long-time favorite for dessert, cooking, canning. Tender, juicy, rich flavor. Ripens late summer. Relatively small tree. 500 hours. Self-fruitful.
Green Gage (Bavay's)
Superior selection of gage-type European plum. Small to medium-size, richly flavored, very sweet. Excellent fresh and for cooking. More productive in moderate winter climates than common Green Gage. Originated in Belgium in the 19th century. Estimarted winter chilling requirement: 600 hours. Self-fruitful.
Italian Prune
Large, purple-skin, freestone. Rich flavor, very sweet when fully ripe. Fresh, dried or canned. Vigorous, cold hardy tree. Late bloom. Late summer harvest. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.
Seneca
Large reddish-purple fruit with very sweet, crisp, yellow freestone flesh. Resists brown rot and cracking. Used fresh and for canning and drying. Vigorous, productive, upright tree. Successful in many climates, including Western Washington. Originated in New York, introduced in 1972. 800 hours. Pollenizer required: another European plum.
Stanley Prune
Large, dark blue skin. Juicy, sweet, delicious, greenish-yellow meaty flesh, freestone. Late summer harvest. Late blooming, extremely cold hardy and reliable. 800 hours. Self-fruitful.
Sugar Prune
Reddish-purple skin, greenish-yellow flesh, very sweet. Used fresh and for canning. Lower chill requirement than other European prune/plums. 550 hours. Self-fruitful.
