Is anyone growing NY 1502 plum? Many, many years ago when I lived in north MS I obtained scions of this variety from the New York State Fruit Testing Cooperative Association. For you youngsters, NYSFTCA provided plants and propagation materials for many of the various fruit varieties they grew at the Geneva Station including advanced varieties being evaluated before being released. One had to sign a non-propagation agreement for the numbered selections.
NY 1502 is a very early plum with outstanding flavor which grew well for me in MS. All fruit growers who visited my orchard loved this one. I never knowingly gave scions to anyone - but you know how avid fruit growers are - buds may have been taken. I spoke with Dr. Bob Anderson the head of Prunus at Geneva. He advised me that it would never be released because of split pits. Commercial growers would not want that but he thought it should be maintained for home orchard use.
Fast forward thirty years to north CA. Someone sent me scions of a plum labeled Morris - also a good plum that I grew in MS. It was, however, not Morris but a very early ripening delicious plum. It ripens with Sorriso de Primavera, before Methley, and has a two-plus week picking season. A few plums remain on the tree. Methley is ripe and Beauty is just now ready to begin picking.
When researching early ripening Asian plums, Early Golden, Bruce, Methley and Six Weeks are the commonly available ones I know about. This plum is far superior to those so I’m thinking that maybe this plum is NY1502.
Cummings Nursery has it on their custom propagation list - I wonder if anyone is growing it. Here are some photos. If you have experience with the variety please let me know if my plum is possibly the same.
