There has been some interest in this plum lately and I don’t think there is a post specifically dedicated to this variety, so here we go. I bought this scion 3.5 years ago from fruitwood nursery as " Catherine Brunnell" and grafted it onto Marianna 2624 that was two years in ground. The graft grew vigorously with vertical growth. Its second year it got frosted out by a late april dip into the mid 20s. This year it set profuse amounts of fruits, blooming along with toka and blue ribbon. While most of my plums lost most of their blooms this one didnt lose any. Despite hard thinning, the branches were loaded. There were a small amount of split pits that ripened in late may. These fruits were dark red fleshed with slight astringency and an interesting tropical floral aroma. The main crop is ripening now in early July. Other reports say that this variety has a short shelf life but my experience is quite different. These plums can be picked underripe, a little sour, but plenty sweet and can sit on the counter for two weeks or more without going bad. While the main crop is sweet and somewhat flavorful at about 14 brix, I could have thinned more to get that interesting tropical flavor and some more brix.
I think this variety has great potential to set crops in spite of late frosts and deliver delicious plums in years when most varieties get frosted out.
Any info on the history of this one? Not seeing much online. Looks like a good size too.
This specific post doesn’t show up in the search for some reason, I think it is related to the recent site update. It belongs here anyways.
post[quote=“Vohd, post:148, topic:2046”]
This is how Andy Mariani describes it in his blue booklet:
Origin Luther Burbank. Mr. Burbank had given this plum, an exclusive variety, as a gift to Catherine Bunnell, wife of once prominent law professor Wm. Gorrell at Boalt Hall, Berkeley, probably in the early 1900s. The only known tree is still clinging to life in the backyard of the old Gorrell residence. CRFG was recently [in 1994] given the opportunity to save the variety by repropagating it. The plum is said to resemble Santa Rosa, which may be a descendant. The fruit is large, deep red to purple in color, ripening around July 4th. It had little commercial potential because the fruit ripened too quickly, the fruit did not keep well and almost all the stones cracked within the fruit; however, the plum was of such exceptional dessert quality that it was given to Burbank’s close friends as an enduring gift.
In hindsight, that name possibly dates to the CRFG propagation and could be synonymous with a variety mentioned in one of the older sources.
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Thanks Robert for posting this! A Cute young lady! I look forward to seeing my scions you sent me bear fruits like these. They do look delicious. Happy 4th
Dennis
Kent, wa
Nice looking fruit. Glad you have a tasting assistant to help out! This sounds like a variety that should be more widely grown.
Thanks for the report, I have been interested to see what they looked like ripe. It looks like a great variety for the South. I will have to get some scions from you this winter…
A definite keeper in my orchard, and one of a few that I decided to further propagate. Sets something every year since it started bearing.
