Favorite Euro Plums

Can you tell me a bit about Kirke’s Blue? Is it any different flavorwise from Italian or French Prune, or Valor and Castleton?

Do you have any photos of American Mirabelle?

Any feedback on Gras Romanesc?

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Scott,
When do French prune ripen for you? What about the ripening time of Epineuse (I can’t even pronounce the name!!!).

This is the first year of E. plum so I can’t tell how effective was Indar on them. I sprayed Indar once through the bags. No rot on Castleton. I have Parfume and Coe’s on the trees not ripening yet.

However, I sprayed Indar twice on my peaches (through the bags as well). Of over PF 24 C 200 peaches I harvested so far, only 4-5 peaches had bad rot.

My French Prune just finished, I pulled the last ones off a few days ago. It ripens over several weeks. Epineuse is not too far off that but a bit ahead if I recall.

Coe’s is really late, most of mine are still on the tree. They seem later this year than I remember in past years. I’m really glad I can finally grow that plum, its one of my all-time faves for taste.

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Thank you, Scott for all your advice.

Epineuse is still so yellow I could not imagine it’d turn purple/blue.

Glad you like Coe’s. I have several Coe’s this year. They are yellow plum, I think. They are larger than Castleton and definitely 4 times the size of the Parfume mirabelle (a marble size at best).

I am at least 2 weeks behind you. I’ll count down the ripening date.

Mam, you know Mirabelles are tiny. That is what is so good about them. Concentrated sweetness! All mirabelles are tiny. Metz is a bit bigger but oval.

I remember you told me that. Mine is smaller than a grape!!

Some times they are. They might get a little bigger is this is your first crop?

Yup, first year of all three varieties. Actually four varieties with “Middleburg”.

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They get better and better!

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Well, the Italian plum might have been one of my favorite plums this year. For the first time it bore a heavy crop at my site and it really tastes good but the rain last night and today cracked almost every single one left on the tree wide open. The Valors right next to it are fine. No wonder commercial growers around here pick them before they are sweet.

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Mirabelle Parfume de Septembre, up close.

The actual fruit is about a marble size. The tree set tons of fruit. I thinned tons off, too.

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Very excited for your harvest of PdS.

Give us more photos and taste descriptions when you pick em. They look good!

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Thank you for your information Alan.
This is my first year with Seneca plum . It might not productive plum tree. Let’s see in a couple year later. I have a lot of different varieties around for pollination. Seneca may performing well in Pacific Northwest.
Thank again. Vincent.

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I have heard it does well there. I bet it will be a good plum for you.

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Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one. Keep us updated.

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The Squirrels ate a lot. Therefore I picked them too early. They sweet but their pit come off very easy . I have to wait for next year to taste them again, and also waiting for your report on them as well. Your Parfume de Septembre looking very good. Pick them in before rain arrives Mamuang.

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Hello, Kirkes blue is a medium to small prune plum with excellent flavor. It is a weak tree which is hard to keep alive and it cracks easily. I had several and they all died, got a few good crops but it was not worth the space. Viloode (sp) is better and more productive, as are many of the gages. American mirrabelle is in my opinion the best mirabelle with more flavor and sweatness, heavy producer hardy and a natural dwarf tree.

Eric

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@vincent, @Matt_in_Maryland, @SMC_zone6,

I think I read here that a forum member has Parfume plums ripened in the west coast and he liked the taste. I don’t recall reading its review from any east coast grower.

I will let you know how it tastes. In fact, I picked a few a few days ago. I picked ones that had red blush on top of deeper yellow skin. They were still not ripe. Even then, they had some sweetness so they appeared promising. I think they need at least two more weeks.

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Thanks for that information! Is it any different tasting compared to other prune plums? I have castleton valor Italian French imperial and empress… I was thinking of removing Kirke’s blue since I have so many other prunes but would keep it if it was different or extra special in some way.

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Found one dropped Mirabelle Parfume de Septembre. A small yellow ball with red blush on it. Forgot to take a pic. Brix was 22. Flesh is still not quite soft but it is quite sweet.

Castleton is 3-4x bigger and very sweet. At this point, I prefer Castleton for substance ( more meat) and flavor. I had two castleton today with brix at 25.

My Castleton have had brix between 22-27. I like eating it soft. Pure sugar with nice aroma to it.

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