Japanese plum , although still little known in our country, is gaining more and more sympathy among amateurs of gardening. The original, exotic shape of the crown of this tree as well as an attractive and rich palette of fruit colors are highly valued. These features make the Japanese plum trees an extremely decorative element of the garden. Meet theJapanese plumvarieties best for amateur cultivation and seeJapanese plumcultivation on the plot. Here's everything you need to know about Japanese plum!
Japanese plum - Prunus salicina
Japanese plum(Prunus salicina) is a species that originated in China and not, as the name suggests, from Japan. In China, this species of plum occurs naturally in the wild. About 300-400 years ago, wild Chinese plums began to be cultivated in Japan, where they became very popular as ornamental and fruit plants. They were brought from Japan to the USA, where they were called Japanese plums. They became so popular there that they almost superseded the traditional domestic plum (Prunus domestica). Thanks to thebreeding progress, the Japanese plum tree has also reached Europe , where it has been distributed mainly in the Mediterranean countries. Japanese plum was first brought to Poland in the 1970s.
The Japanese plum tree is a medium-sized fruit tree(3-5 m tall) that starts the growing season very early. It begins to bloom in March. It is distinguished from the domestic plum tree with narrower, longer and shinier leaves, and the shoots are smooth (not mossy). Japanese plum fruitsare characterized by a shiny, very elastic and thin skin with a wide range of colors: from yellow-white, through orange, salmon, maroon-navy blue, to almost black. The fruits are more durable than the fruits of the traditionally grown domestic plum, they are not susceptible to rotting and kneading.
Japanese plum - the best varieties for amateur cultivation
Japanese plum cultivars grown in Polandare hybrids with European plum species. The noble varieties are grafted onto alech bases, thanks to which their frost resistance has been increased. Among the large number ofJapanese plum cultivars, the best for amateurcultivation in our gardens are 'Kometa', 'Shiro', 'Santa Rosa' and 'Vanier'.
Japanese plum 'Kometa'- this is a Russian variety of the Japanese plum. The tree is frost-resistant, it rarely falls ill and is characterized by poor growth.It bears fruit in the second year after planting, the crops are abundant and regular. Flower buds, despite their early development, are rarely damaged by frosts. The fruits of this variety are spherical or slightly elongated, ripen in the 1st and 2nd decade of the face. The peel of the fruit is yellow, with a large intense red and maroon blush, sometimes slightly spotted.
Japanese plum 'Shiro'- this is a variety bred in the United States. The trees of this variety grow moderately strongly, form spherical crowns with long overhanging shoots. They bear fruit abundantly and regularly if grown in the vicinity of a suitable pollinator, e.g. 'Santa Rosa'. With too many fruitlets, it is necessary to thin the fruitlets to prevent the fruit from becoming crushed. The 'Shiro' variety is valued for its large (40-50 g) and tasty fruit, ripening from mid-July to early August. They have heart-shaped shapes and a greenish-yellow skin covered with a delicate white coating. The flesh of the fruit is juicy, sweet and sour and slightly aromatic.The fruit picked from the tree can be stored in a cool place for at least 7 days. In our conditions it isthe least unreliable variety of the Japanese plum
Japanese plum 'Santa Rosa'- another American variety of the Japanese plum. The growth of trees of this variety is very strong, they create slender crowns with raised shoots. Cultivar 'Santa Rosa' does not require a pollinator, it is a self-fertile variety. The fruit, about 50 g in weight, ripens in early August. Their shape is oval or slightly heart-shaped. The skin is pink-red, covered with a waxy coating. The flesh is yellow with a pink discoloration, sweet sour and juicy.
Japanese plum 'Vanier'- Canadian variety with moderate growth. It is a variety resistant to bacterial cancer and brown rot of stone trees. The fruits are large (40-50 g) spherical, yellow or yellow-orange with a pink-red blush. The flesh is yellow or pinkish, soft, juicy and very aromatic.
Japanese plum - cultivation on the plot
Japanese plum cultivation in Polandposes no difficulties because its soil and agrotechnical requirements are similar to those of European plums. The only problem isJapanese plum's sensitivity to low temperatures , especially in early spring. In our climate zone, the Japanese plum blooms very early (March), which means that flower buds are exposed to damage caused by frosts.
Temperature drops below -20 ° C may damage wood, branches and boughs. Due to the sensitivity to low temperatures,the bestJapanese plum cultivation is the western and south-western areas of Poland. In these regions, winters are mild and the growing season is long and warm.Japanese plum treesare best planted in spring due to their sensitivity to low temperatures. We plant trees before the buds develop. A later date may damage them.
Japanese plum trees , like their European relatives, have a high water demand and cope very well with periodic high groundwater levels. They grow well in areas where there is a lot of rainfall in the spring. They require fertile, light and airy soils. The most suitable are loamy, sandy loam and loess soils.
Most varieties of the Japanese plumrequire a foreign pollinator to bear fruit. Pollinators can be other varieties of Japanese plum or alech. Unfortunately, the varieties of domestic plum, traditionally grown here, are not suitable for pollinators. Therefore, when planting Japanese plum on the plot, you should plant a treeof another Japanese plum varietyor ałycz in the vicinity, or select a self-fertile variety 'Santa Rosa'.
The same diseases and pests can occur when growing Japanese plum as when growing European plums. The most dangerousdiseases of the Japanese plumare: gray plum, bacterial cancer of fruit trees and brown rot of stone trees.The most commonpest of the Japanese plumis the plum fruit.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
