Contents
Cherry plum and plum are related crops common in the middle lane. When choosing between them, their features, unpretentiousness, quality and taste of fruits are taken into account.
The difference between plums and cherry plums
Although the cultures share common features, they belong to different species. The differences between them are at the genetic level.
The main similarities of cultures:
- round shape of the fruit;
- elongated green leaves;
- appearance of flowers
- high content of vitamins and microelements in fruits;
- grow well in lighted areas and neutral fertile soils;
- most varieties need pollination;
- extended fruiting, which requires harvesting in several stages;
- good honey plants for bees;
- care scheme (watering, pruning, top dressing);
- propagation methods (cuttings or shoots).
Often cherry plum and plum are grafted onto one rootstock. However, the crops will not pollinate each other, so planting a pollinator is mandatory.
The fruits of each culture are used fresh and for home-made preparations.
These are:
- preserves;
- jam;
- jam;
- compote;
- marshmallows;
- syrup;
- jelly;
- marmalade;
- juice;
- wine.
In cosmetology, masks are prepared from them to moisturize the skin of the face.
Genetic differences between cultures
Plum and cherry plum are a representative of the Pink family, which also includes various stone fruit, pome and berry crops (cherry, house plum, peach, apricot, almond). The genus Plum unites more than 250 species distributed in the temperate climate zone.
Cherry plum – the original form of homemade plum. The culture is also known as cherry plum. It got its name from the Azerbaijani word aluca, which translates as “small plum”.
Homemade plum is obtained by crossing blackthorn and cherry plum. Wild varieties of plums do not exist in nature.
How cherry plum differs from plum in the photo:
Plum is less resistant to diseases and pests. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes, peppers and other solanaceous plants next to it. This neighborhood leads to the spread of insects and fungal diseases. The plum is prone to spotting, rust, fruit and gray rot, gum disease.
Cherry plum produces single flowers of white or pink color, 20-40 mm in size. The culture tolerates spring frosts well. The tree blooms more abundantly, which is reflected in the yield. They are grown for decorative purposes. The culture completely lacks self-fertile varieties, so it is planted in groups.
The plum has simple flower buds that produce 1-3 white flowers with a diameter of 15-20 cm. Some plum varieties are partially self-fertile. However, they differ in late flowering, and cannot serve as pollinators for earlier varieties.
Which is tastier: cherry plum or plum
The size, color and taste of the fruit largely depend on the variety of the crop. Usually, in domestic plums, the fruits have a mass of 35-50 g, the largest ones reach 70 g.
Plum fruits are purple, yellow, light green, red or dark blue. There is a wax coating on the skin. The stone is flattened, pointed at the edges. The shape of the fruit is round or elongated. The stone can be easily removed from the pulp.
Cherry plum bears fruits weighing 12-37 g. They are more often rounded or flattened. When ripe, the skin turns pink, yellow, red or purple. The fruits of some varieties have a slight wax coating and a longitudinal furrow. The stone is not separated from the pulp.
The taste of fruits depends on the variety. Cherry plum has a sugar content of up to 14%. It tastes sweet and sour, tasting score from 4 to 4,8 points. The plum contains from 9 to 17% sugar, its pulp is sweeter and is estimated at an average of 4,5-5 points.
The difference between cherry plum and plum in the photo:
Calorie content and nutritional value of 100 g of plum:
- 34 kcal;
- proteins – 0,2 g;
- fats – 0,1 g;
- carbohydrates – 7,9 g;
- dietary fiber – 1,8 g.
Calorie content and nutritional value of 100 g of cherry plum:
- 49 kcal;
- proteins – 0,8 g;
- fats – 0,3 g;
- carbohydrates – 9,6 g;
- dietary fiber – 1,5 g.
Cherry plum is a more high-calorie product that surpasses plums in terms of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Unlike plum, it contains starch, more organic acids and potassium.
Fruits of cultures differ in terms of storage. The maximum storage period for plums is 4 weeks, after which the fruits begin to rot. Cherry plum tolerates long transportation, easily ripens after harvest and is stored for more than 3 months.
Scopes of plum and cherry plum
Sauces are prepared from cherry plum for fish, meat, poultry and side dishes, including the traditional Georgian snack – tkemali. To prepare tkemali, sour fruits are chosen, garlic, coriander and other spices are added.
To obtain dried fruits and candied fruits, plums are preferred. Cherry plum contains more water, and after drying the fruits, difficulties arise with the separation of stones.
How to distinguish plum from cherry plum
Due to the abundant flowering of cherry plum, it has an increased yield. Up to 50 kg of fruits are harvested from one tree. The average plum yield is 20-30 kg.
The flowering of cherry plum begins in the third decade of March at the same time as the leaves bloom. Plum buds open in April-mid-May, depending on the growing region.
The timing of fruiting is determined by the variety of culture. Early cherry plum bears fruit at the end of June, later varieties – in August and September. Plum ripens in mid-July, the latest varieties give a harvest in the second decade of September.
Cherry plum comes into fruiting faster. The first harvest is taken 2 years after planting. The culture has the appearance of a shrub or multi-stemmed tree 3-10 m high. Life expectancy is from 30 to 50 years.
After planting, the plum begins to bear fruit for 3-6 years. The tree grows up to 15 m. The life of the culture is up to 25 years. Active fruiting lasts 10-15 years.
The average frost resistance of cherry plum is -20 °C. Some varieties are able to withstand up to -30 ° C. When grown in cold climates, it often freezes roots and shoots.
Plums are considered to be more capricious due to their lower resistance to disease and drought. The culture needs more care.
In nature, cherry plum is found in Western and Central Asia, the Tien Shan, the Balkans, the North Caucasus, Moldova, Iran and southern Ukraine. Modern frost-resistant hybrids are grown in the middle lane and more northern regions.
Ancient Persia is considered to be the birthplace of the plum tree. Over time, culture spread throughout Eurasia. In Our Country, culture has been grown since the XNUMXth century. Her seedlings were brought to the village of Izmailovo near Moscow from Europe. The seedlings were characterized by low winter hardiness. Breeding work on the development of more frost-resistant plum varieties was carried out in the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries.
The difference between plum and cherry plum in planting and care
Cherry plum is more suitable for growing in warm regions. In cool climates, plums are preferred. In many ways, the resistance of trees to external factors depends on the variety.
Cherry plum seedlings take root faster after planting. It is best to purchase planting material from local nurseries and choose a variety adapted to the desired region. Zoned seedlings grow stronger.
After planting, the cherry plum grows rapidly. The crown of the tree is prone to branching, so special attention is paid to pruning. Be sure to eliminate weak and incorrectly oriented shoots. Every year, the culture is rejuvenated by pruning old branches.
Plum shaping includes cutting the center conductor. 5-7 skeletal branches are left on the tree.
Due to low immunity to diseases, plum needs frequent preventive treatments. Fungicide solutions are used for spraying. Processing is carried out before and after the growing season. For the prevention of diseases, special attention is paid to tree care, root growth is eliminated and the soil is dug up.
Young cherry plum needs additional shelter for the winter. In late autumn, the tree is watered abundantly, and the trunk is covered with earth. Seedlings are covered with special agrofiber and spruce branches.
Conclusion
Plum and cherry plum have similar characteristics, however, there are significant differences between them. When choosing in favor of a particular crop, pay attention to winter hardiness, productivity, resistance to diseases and pests. It is also taken into account that the growth and fruiting of trees largely depend on the particular variety.
