North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["MARIE ASHTON" <bwoodtx@verizon.net>]

Most hybrid plums are not self-fertile. As to pollination of Asian-American hybrids that is quite a mixed bag. The University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm in cooperation with the South Dakota State Agricultural Experiment Station worked in the 30s and 40s to produce a good pollinating variety. The result of this cooperation was a variety called 'South Dakota' which they believed would pollinate most Salicina (Japanese) - Americana plum hybrids.

 

A fairly new variety(in relation to many of these cold-hardy hybrids) 'Alderman' has some information available about pollination that might be of interest. It is located at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG2704.html

 

There has been some discussion about the variety 'Superior' and its heredity. Here is the entry from my book Plums of North America:

 

"SUPERIOR – (P. salicina hybrid) – Skin: Dark red, Flesh: Yellow, Ripe: Mid-season, Taste: Excellent, C/F: Clingstone, Fruit Size: Medium, Shipping: Unk., Tree Size: Large.

           Developed by the University of Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm, Excelsior, Minnesota and introduced in 1933. A cross of Burbank and Kaga (Prunus americana x Prunus simonii) selected in 1925; tested as M. 194.

           The fruit has dark red skin splashed with dull red dots and a heavy bloom. The skin is astringent. The yellow flesh is very juicy, sweet, firm and of very good to excellent quality; good for fresh use or processing. The fruit ripen in mid-season. The large, very precocious, vigorous tree is not winter-hardy in the very upper part of the Midwest. It has some problems with split fruit in some years and a little problem with brown rot. A regular heavy bearing variety in suitable locations."

 

As noted this variety has some hardiness problems in the very upper mid-west and bud damage may be part of the problem in some years instead of pollination.

 

Regards,

Richard Ashton

Oak Creek Orchard

www.oakcreekorchard.com

bwoodtx@verizon.net