North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

Fresh prunes, or prune-plums, are sweet, elongated, freestone European plums.  I think of them as Italian plums, but there are varieties from other countries.

 

They do make excellent prunes, and are a very, very nice dessert fruit.  The flesh is relatively firm for a plum, and people who don’t like the texture tartness of other plums may like prune plums just fine.  I’ve tried to like American and Japanese varieties as much, but I’m more a fan of the Europlums (prune, Mirabelle, Gage).  Some prunes are self-fruitful, some will want another European plum to pollinate them.  They can bear heavily and preserve exceedingly well.

 

~ Stephen

 

From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Doreen Howard
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 6:26 PM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: [NAFEX] Two Questions

 

I asked this question last year or the year before, but I didn't record the answer.  How do you tell when an Asian pear is ready to pick?  My 2-1 tree is loaded with Korean Giants and Shinseikis.  It's been a strange year in that we had a very late spring, feet of rain and we have yet to hit 90F.  Last year, I picked all the pears by the third week of August, but everything is lagging this year.

 

Second question.  I love the plums labeled "prune plums" in the grocery store this time of year.  What are they?  I'd love to plant a tree.  And, do they need a pollinator.  I understand grapes, berries, currants, pears, apples, cherries and peaches, but plums are foreign territory for me.

Doreen Howard