Thanks for the new replies, Dax and Bob. Since the odds are at least decent that the graft will live (providing it’s done properly…whole 'nother issue) I can proceed with the graft, maybe do some budding when I get new buds on the graft, and get a Euro tree as needed. I’m down to my last unused corner of my fenced area, and I gotta think carefully about what will go there.
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I took a pic today and it seems OK to me. It was a chip bud (using only an elastic band to secure it) that I made on 8/29/2015, so it has grown for 2 years. I see what looks to be flower buds on it, so maybe it will fruit at the same time as it’s parent tree that I got the wood from.
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Jesse,
Were the Opals gummy in texture like some euro plums can be? Or were they melting and juicy?
The pictures are beautiful.
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Opal plums were nicely textured, not all that tjuicy like my Japanese hybrids. Kinda firm like my Stanley, but a bit more delicate. At full ripeness the flesh was like jelly. I still have a gallon or so in the freezer, these are really firm😉
Thanks for the complement, its feels good to look at photos of some summer fruit now…
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Jesse,
This is my first year of Opal setting fruit. I think mine is Opal. They look like yours. Some of mine started to dropped this past 7 days. The darker ones were softer and sweeter. The reddish ones were firmer and not sweet. Some were even bland or sour. Quite disappointing as it sets like crazy, very productive.
I hope its taste will improve next year. Right now, the quality of the sweet ones are still behind Castleton and far behind Coe’s.
%
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Mine have been consistently ripening in the first week of August. It’s grafted on top of a Stanley that gets full sun. The fruit has been small, about the size of a large gumball, but good flavor and full freestone qualities make it a keeper for me. Mine haven’t overset, so I’m not sure if they typically need thinning.
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Your Opal ripened at least 3 weeks ahead of mine. Mine are not small, more like medium.
The color and the shape say Opal. The taste is no where near what you and Jesse described.
Yeah, you probably have opal, but it’s supposed to be an early plum. I wonder what factors delayed yours? I’ve seen several week delays on other plum varieties before, but I don’t know what causes it. I think the flavor was bland as well. It’s just a one-off year thing.
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I’m reviving this old thread to ask for help to ID my “Opal” plum that doesn’t seem to match the description in this thread.
This variety is ripening for the first time for me and this is what it looks like right now.
I would appreciate your input @JesseS @Stan @BobVance and anyone else.
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Speaking of Opal. I can’t seem to find any info as to it’s chill requirement…
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Mine came in at 24-26 Brix when I harvested them. The skin and texture very much reminded me of a firm seedless grape. There was also a similar acid to sugar balance. It was mostly sweet with enough acid to make it palatable. I am attempting to dry some to see how they do as prunes
.A more shaded fruit.
A soft-ripe fruit that received full sun.
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@SteadyStan My Opal isn’t producing this year, but last year it set about 5 fruits and they looked exactly like yours. Very pale purple, quite tasty. Looking forward to getting a bunch next year.
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