Domestic plum is a species of fruit-bearing plants from the plum genus, plum subfamily, pink family. These are low trees, living for about a quarter of a century, capable of producing crops for two-thirds of their lifespan. Centuries-old selection has led to the emergence of an impressive number of varieties that differ in the appearance of the fruit, tree, taste, nutritional properties, ripening time, and degree of disease resistance.
What does a plum look like
Around the end of the XNUMXrd century BC, Theosphatus described two types of domestic plums grown at that time in Greek territory. One of them was distinguished by especially sweet and juicy fruits.
Scientists believe that domestic plum appeared in Asia through extreme cross-pollination of wild thorns and cherry plums. From there, the tree was brought to Egypt and Greece, where they began to actively cultivate it.
Plum is a tree or bush
Shrubs do not have a main stem. Several of their lignified shoots constantly replace each other throughout life: one dies off, and a new one immediately takes its place.
Whereas a tree with the onset of adulthood has one main trunk. In addition, the growth of an already formed plant is much higher than that of a bush, whose size is from 0,6 to 6 m. A home plum is a tree with a main trunk and a fifteen-meter growth limit.
Description of the plum tree
Home plum grows up to 15 meters, its height depends on the variety and climatic features of the area. For the same reasons, the crown of the plant is spreading, wide or narrow, elongated upwards. The root system, located mostly at a depth of up to 0,45 m, has a rod shape.
What are plum leaves
Home plum leaves are arranged alternately on short petioles, up to 10 cm long, up to 6 cm wide. The edge is serrated, the plate is wider at the base, narrows towards the end and becomes sharp. The reverse side of the sheet is slightly pubescent. The color changes in autumn: from summer green to pale yellow.
How plum blossoms + photo
Each flower bud has a simple shape and produces up to 3 white or pinkish buds with a diameter of 1-2,5 cm. House plum flowers are collected in bunches or grow alone.
Their structure is normal:
- 5 green sepals;
- 5 petals white or pink;
- 23-30 stamens;
- 1 pistil, upper ovary.
The flowering period falls on April in the southern regions, in May – in the middle lane, at the beginning of June – the Urals and Siberia.
Plum tree fruits
The fruit of a domestic plum tree cannot be attributed to either fruits or berries. Scientists define it as a drupe. Inside the fruit there is one large bone, flattened on both sides, with sharp ends. There is a lot of juicy and sweet pulp around the stone, covered with a thin dense skin with a smooth structure.
The drupes of homemade plums are diverse in shape, taste and color, which depends on the cultivar. It can be round or oval fruits, painted in red, green, blue or yellow shades.
Homemade plum is rich in useful properties:
- lowers blood pressure;
- positively affects the work of the kidneys;
- has a laxative effect;
- able to cleanse the body of cholesterol and toxins.
The composition of the drupe contains useful substances:
- potassium, fluorine, sodium;
- proteins;
- alimentary fiber;
- carbohydrates;
- vitamins B, C, B2, E, PP.
Since ancient times, homemade plums have been used to relieve the symptoms of gout and rheumatism, with heart ailments and metabolic disorders.
Where does the plum grow?
Thanks to breeding, domestic plum can grow and bear fruit in different latitudes and climatic zones. Varieties adapted to the most severe conditions have been created.
Historically, the geography of home plum growth is defined from the eastern part of the Caucasus Mountains to the Adriatic Sea, which includes the territory of Asia Minor and the Balkan Peninsula.
Plum varieties with photos and descriptions
Home plum varieties are classified according to several criteria.
- Nutritional suitability. There are varieties suitable for human consumption, conditionally suitable and decorative.
- Taste. There are varieties that can only be consumed fresh, some are suitable only for culinary purposes for canning, and there are also universal varieties that are used for both.
- Ripening time. Ripening dates classify homemade plums into early ripening, mid-season and late-ripening varieties.
- Fruit size, color and yield. There are varieties red, yellow, green, blue with large or not very fruits, high or low yield.
Red plum
Red varieties of homemade plums, according to breeders, are suitable for the climate of central Our Country. The fruits of this varietal group with a thin and smooth shell have a pleasant sweet and sour taste and red flesh and skin.
In this case, pollinators must be of the same maturity.
- Chinese plum or Red ball has excellent taste and versatility in use. Gardeners love this variety for its low (2,5 m) tree growth and spreading crown, which greatly facilitates harvesting.
- Early domestic plum is also of Chinese origin. The yield of the variety is high. The drupe has the shape of an even ball. The flesh is orange and tasty. The fruits keep well. The tree winters easily, has unpretentiousness and resistance to diseases.
- General’s plum to match the name: large-fruited and with excellent taste. The variety is frost-resistant, grows as a low tree, and one hundred grams of pulp contains the daily norm of zinc, as well as potassium, manganese and iron.
- Japanese home plum has a high degree of decorativeness, which is often used by landscapers to decorate plots for their ability to grow quickly. The pulp of the fruit is difficult to separate from the stone. Fruiting is plentiful.
Varieties of yellow plum
Yellow-fruited domestic plum can be with a reddish tint or with an admixture of green. There is a varietal group of mirabelle, a subspecies of renklod, and there are several yellow varieties derived from the Chinese plum.
Yellow domestic varieties are mostly thermophilic and do not grow well in mid-latitude conditions. The fruits are round, small and very tasty. Plants are self-sterile, which means they need pollinators in the neighborhood.
- Yellow ball belong to the numerous subspecies of the Chinese plum. The tree of the variety grows up to 5 m. The variety is frost-resistant, bears fruit in the third year, is well stored, resistant to diseases inherent in plums.
- Altai anniversary also self-sterile, high yield with proper agricultural technology, bears fruit in the third year of life. Grows well in southern regions. In cold climates, it is prone to decay of the root neck.
green plum
Renklod is a group of domestic plums bred in France and named after the queen.
Green renklod – the progenitor of all varieties of this group. It has a wonderful sweet taste. It is grown mainly in the southern regions of the country, although it has a frost-resistant character.
When grown in cold regions in winter, young trees are recommended to be covered, and adults subjected to regular whitewashing. High humidity is detrimental to the variety. The height of the tree is a maximum of 7 m, it bears fruit in five years.
The drupes are light green in color with yellowness and a bluish bloom. The flesh is green and greenish-yellow, sweet and juicy. For pollination, varieties Victoria, Ekaterina, Italian Hungarian, Altana renklod are used.
Plum varieties with black or blue fruits
Blue varieties of domestic plum are valued for good winter-hardy qualities, sweetness of fruits, self-fertility of trees when there is no need for pollinating plants. Blue house plums are versatile in use. They can be used for making dried fruits, for canning and fresh.
- Egg blue. Bred from Skorospelka and renklod Ullens. The tree is long-lived, living for about 30 years. It grows up to 6 meters and is frost-resistant. Fruiting occurs in the fifth year, the yield is high.
- Blue gift. The fruits are small fifteen grams. They ripen in mid-August. The tree has frost resistance and almost does not get sick.
- Stanley. The fruits are large, may be purple or green. The tree does not grow more than 3 m, the crown is slightly thickened. The pulp of the drupe is odorous, very sweet.
- Tula black. High resistance to diseases. Does not tolerate cold well. The taste is sweet and sour. The fruits are dark blue, used to make dried fruits.
early plum varieties
The fruits of this group are distinguished by juiciness, a special aroma and deliciousness of the pulp. Early varieties are best suited for fresh consumption. However, blanks from them are also good. The ripening period is July.
- Zarechnaya early is very popular with gardeners. The tree does not take up much space on the site, the crown is neat oval in shape. The fruits are large, oval, dark purple in color with a bloom and a ventral suture. The pulp is easily separated from the stone, almost without sourness, very sweet. Fruiting begins in the third year after planting. Pollinators will be needed.
- Kabardian home early. It grows up to six meters, has a dense elongated crown. Fruits in the fourth year. Pollinators are not required. The fruits are large, the skin is hard red-violet. The pulp is sweet and aromatic. The tree is thermophilic, it will not endure cold winters.
Plum medium ripening
The fruits of this group ripen in mid-August, and bloom in May. Many varieties are not cold hardy. Great for canning.
Dombrovytskaya. A low-growing home plant growing up to 4 m. The drupe ripens in the second half of August. Fruiting begins in the third year. The fruits are large, oval-shaped with a sweet taste, juicy, easily lagging behind the stone. The variety shows resistance to fungal diseases.
Neibolia. A variety of Yugoslav origin. A tall tree with a spreading crown. The fruits are large, dark blue with a wax coating. Fruiting in the second year of life. The plant will need pollinators. The crop gives a rich, disease resistant.
Late plum varieties
Late-ripening home varieties bear fruit from late August to September. Almost all of them are frost-resistant and unpretentious in content. The fruits of this varietal group are good for canning.
This includes such home varieties as Plum Bogatyrskaya, Zhiguli, Svetlana, President, Empress, Italian Hungarian, Renklod Michurinsky. The Bogatyrskaya plum is considered the best variety here.
Late varieties of plums that are stored for a long time
Almost all late varieties keep well. Especially here you can highlight the Hungarian Italian, it is stored for up to 33 days; Zhiguli – stored perfectly, if removed slightly unripe.
Conclusion
Home plum through the efforts of breeders today has about 2000 varieties. The gardener should only choose the most suitable of them so that the plant feels good in the surrounding climate, and therefore gives a high yield.
