I have become fascinated with P. cerasifera crosses since they seem to perform well in a wider range of climates and was hoping to compile a list of varieties available in the US, here’s what I have so far. Also, if anyone knows of good cerasifera culivars that may be useful for breeding. Plus feel free to give opinions on flavor, hardiness, frost tolerance, etc
P. cerasifera x P. salicina
Methley
Obilnaja
Kuban Comet
Kuban Delight
Kometa Rannaya(Early Comet I believe)
Sprite
Delight
Lavina
Hollywood
Cocheco (I think?)
Haleardi (NZ cultivar at ARS, shares a parent with Hollywood maybe?)
Lippiatt’s Early (NZ cultivar at ARS)
Ozark premier (25% cerasifera)
P. cerasifera x P. armeniaca
Tlor Trsiran
Black Alexander
Irany Oliu
Mirocais
Purpuroeia
On a related note I have a pure P. cerasifera clone I selected from a local population on account of its heavy cropping and ability for the fruit to be enjoyed even if under-ripe which allows for a longer window of harvest for fresh eating. It would be good breeding material.
Good list
There is a good chance there are many more both Asian and European that have P cerasifera heritage. Actually I have not found a plum variety that is incompatible with my cherry plum or my Adara scions. The below article explains relations with P domestica varieties. And I think a fair number of Burbanks varieties are related since it was used by him in his program for plum breeding.
Europlums related to cerasifera: The results agree with P. domestica having originated as an interspecific hybrid of a diploid P. cerasifera and a tetraploid P. spinosa that itself may have been an interspecific hybrid of P. cerasifera and an unknown Eurasian plum species.
This article tells a lot about Burbank but leaves many questions using the words: likely or may or May have”:
Burbank’s Asian-type plum introductions had larger fruit size, better shipping qualities, and showier appearance than the European cultivars previously grown in California, and they rapidly displaced them in plantings for fresh market. His crowning achievement was ‘Santa Rosa’ (introduced 1906), which appears to have derived its reddish flesh from ‘Satsuma’; firmness and acidity from the apricot or ‘Simon’ plum (P. simonii); and a rich, wild aroma, very likely from P. cerasifera. The American species used by Burbank in breeding plums contributed dis- ease resistance, tough skin, and aromatic quality (Okie and Ramming, 1999)
It would be nice to be able to go thru Burbanks notes.
The P cerasifera exists worldwide in various forms, and I suspect is within the lineage of most every plum and cherry plum we know of today. So even though Burbank may have not been aware he could have introduced it in his breeding program to many of his Asian hybrids since his breeding stock came from a variety of Asian sources.
I have the red leaved and the green leaved P. cerasifera as mature trees. I presume they were volunteers and probably native stock. They make excellent interstem for overcoming any plum to cherry or any other Prunus incompatibility.
Dennis
Kent, wa
I’ve read that article and yeah there seems to be a whole lot of maybes in the species make up of his varieties, and since the Burbank varieties make up most of the ancestry in Japanese plum varieties there seems to be a lot of question marks. I can’t find the parentage for some of these varieties. I thought Comet had more in it, but looks like it’s only 25% as well.
I just got George Wilson and Laetitia grafts to take, which are mentioned as having a good amount of cerasifera, so it will be interesting to see how they do. There is very little information on the performance of these in the States, or even in their originating locales.
This is the second season since planting and it is already bearing fruit. I can give you an update on taste in a week or so. But when I read about it, it used to win in various plum taste tests at the nursery. It bloomed profusely, can see if I can find a picture of it in bloom and it bloomed quite late so there was no risk of late frost. I grow it outdoors and in an open area so it is hardy.
Just a side note to avoid confusion: the name is “Podarok” as in “Gift of St. Petersburg” (not pAdOrok). I’ve noticed that you can trace the typo to Finland.
Interesting! Glad to hear the fruits are tasty, they resemble my Adara cherry plum, a relative of yours. But the foliage is quite different than mine! Mine are now at peak ripeness
Dennis
Kent, Wa
Update to April post for compatibility with my native Cherry Plum, P. cerasifera: This spring I received a large number of Cotton Candy Aprium scions to graft. So without a lot of thought I decided to graft them to a Top working project on my green leaf P. cerasifera.
It was a huge disappointment to see all, 100% failed! In hindsight I expect it was too much apricot and not enough plum heritage that led to the incompatibility. All scions appeared to be very healthy and I normally have an out 70% success grafting to this tree, but for those who might benefit, I would find a better rootstock to match Cotton Candy.
Dennis
Kent, Wa
Appreciate your data on relatives! One of my older grafts Ozark Premiere has never set fruit, so I have been trying to understand what pollinates it. Now I can see that I need my Methley and Burbank varieties to be in close proximity. Maybe next spring I will use their pollen to hand pollinate to hopefully set some fruit to try.
Thanks,
BTW where in zone 8 are you located?
Dennis
Kent, Wa
yes, the nursery that sold the tree to Sweden is in Finland. So they could probably, like you say, got the name wrong. That’s what it says on my label from the finish nursery.
