Botany – What kind of plant is this?
The plum, like its close relative the plum, belongs to the rose family. It's often difficult to distinguish a plum from a prune. Just take a closer look at the fruit and look for a seam. If you find one, it's a plum, as plums don't have this characteristic. Plum flesh is also firmer and has a high sugar content. Plum trees can be found wherever the climate is temperate. Many varieties are self-pollinating; otherwise, sloes make good pollen sources. Due to its reddish-brown color and hardness, plum wood is highly sought after by carpenters for making luxurious furniture.
Cultural history – How did the plum come to us?
The first Asian wild plums, the ancestors of our modern-day plums, were still sour and dry 2,000 years ago. Their flavor therefore had little in common with the juiciness and sweetness that characterize plums today. We have the ancient Greeks to thank for this, importing this fruit from Damascus, where it was cultivated and popularized by the Romans in 150 BC.
Varieties – Which are recommended?
The most popular varieties include:
- Ersinger Frühwetschge: medium-sized, elongated-oval, blue, sweet-sour, harvest time: July/August
- Hanita: very large, productive, harvest time: August/September
- Domestic plum: oval, sweet, ideal for any use, self-fertile, only plant in sharka (virus disease)-free areas, harvest time: September
- Anna Späth: round-oval, large, sweet, harvest time: September/October
- President: very large, oval, blue-red, harvest time: October, only very warm locations
TEXT: Carina Naeve
