Plum bloom times

General Fruit Growing
#21

To update this thread for 2017, it looks like most of my plums followed roughly the same timing. At least, I didn’t noticed anything which jumps out at me as far off, when looking at the list in my first post.

I did notice several additional plums which flower on new wood. I know because I grafted them last year, so I can clearly see which wood grew after the graft was made…

Vermont
South Dakota
Kahinta
Underwood
Elephant Heart

A couple Euros, grafted on the Asian plums did as well:
President
Early Laxton

Also, I took note of Euro plums. It doesn’t seem like there is that much variation in the Euros. They fall into 3 groups:

Early (almost done and leafed out):
Jefferson- B, 17

Mid (full bloom now):
Rosy Gage
Golden Transparent Gage- C, 20
Opal C, 21
Jam Session
Kirk’s Blue- D, 23
Seneca
Castleton
Valor- C
Bluebyrd

Late (soon to open):
Reine de Mirabelle
Vision
Stanley
Count Althann’s Gage- D, 22

The notes after some of the cultivars are the pollination group assigned by Keeper’s Nursery, which has a ton of Euro plums.

In addition to being the earliest bloomer, the Jefferson is noteworthy in that it is only a 2nd year tree. Of the 6 other 2nd year Euro plums I have, only Middleburg (6-7 flowers) and Ersinger (1-2 flowers) have any at all. And Jefferson doesn’t just have a few, but looks pretty well covered.

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Stan’s harvest diary 2021
#22

That order is very similar to what I have seen. I don’t have all of those varieties, but Jefferson is definitely early for me and Reine de Mirabelle is my latest. Castleton, Bluebyrd and Rosy Gage have been mid bloomers. My Castleton is a fairly small tree but is loaded with blooms this year, the rest have light to moderate blooming. Over 90% of Jefferson’s blooms got fried, but I still have a fair amount of fruitlets forming right now. Hopefully they hang on.

On a related note–> As advertised, Surefire pie cherry is supposed to be the latest blooming stone fruit, and it still hasn’t bloomed yet this year. It probably will in a few days. All my other pie cherries have already been in full bloom for several days.

#23

I think you’re generally way ahead of me. None of my cherries have bloomed yet.

Here’s an example of the difference, as illustrated by a Valor branch grafted on a Vision tree.

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On 2nd look at the tree, it isn’t the whole tree that is covered, but only one branch and the lower part. It is still the heaviest bloom of the new Euro plums.

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#24

Right now…out of all my plums, pluots, apricots…my Prunus Americana seedling rootstock tree (that has a ton of branches covered in blooms) has yet to open a flower. Everything else is in full bloom or past full bloom (apricots).

#25

My Stanley is in bloom now, before the Gala apple. Brooks says it’s too young to flower. Everything else is past.

#26

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I forgot to mention Krymsk 86 which has a bunch of flowers…has still not bloomed. Very late. I have no idea if this thing sets fruit or not (K1 never did last year). K1 flowers very early.

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#27

I have the same observation. Both of my hybrid Japanese X American plums were done by the end of the weekend, and I would say that Monday looked to be about peak bloom on the roadside P. americana around here.

#28

Strange, compressed blooming this year for me. Some of my peaches are still blooming, plums are (almost) all blooming or past, along with pears and cherries, apple blossoms are opening, and even lilacs are blooming now. Probably had to do with our balmy February, freezing March and warm April. Looking to be a good fruit year here!

#29

Additionally, currants (red, white and black) and honeyberries (late-blooming) are also concurrently blooming with the above. I haven’t seen blossom overlap of peaches, plums, currants, lilacs before.

#30

Mine are all blooming too, but not exactly at the same time, close though.I would add my wild strawberries started blooming too, but the hybrids, not yet. Elderberries are forming flower heads. as are my lilacs, not blooming yet.
My raspberries have not formed flowers yet. Although I have a new cultivar that is ahead on getting there.

#31

Did you get any fruit off of them?

#32

Some of them set fruit, but I didn’t get any- I had enough trouble getting any fruit when there was a whole tree full of it.

#33

Hey @Auburn, how long did it take your Methley to bloom? I’m on 3rd year in ground, and still no blooms, while santa rosa, and greengage right next to it have bloomed and produced now for the 2nd year…

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#34

My third year and finally some blooms and fruit-set with my methley. Middle TN.

#35

I had just a few blooms the 2nd year and more the 3rd year. Late cold weather wiped out the bloom for both years so I didn’t get any fruit. I have grafted to other varieties since then and have only a small section of Methley remaining.

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#36

I’m eager to get fruit from my 2019 grafts next year. Can somebody tell me if any of these bloom/fruit on previous year wood? Coe’s Golden drop, green gage, satsuma, orange red, dapple dandy?

#37

Coe’s Golden Drop, Satsuma, El Dorado, Flavor King, Flavor Queen, Hollywood, Early Italian, French 707, various Mirabelles, all produced fruit for me the year following grafting. Dapple Dandy took two years and going into its fourth year has been a relatively shy bearer compared to those others.

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#38

Can anyone compare relative bloom times of Flavor Supreme and Flavor King? I am in 7b and Flavor King was in full bloom 4 days ago already while Flavor Supreme looks like it will need at least 4 more days to open first flowers. Its the second year I am observing this. There is not a lot of overlap between their bloom times.

Can this be right? I am wondering if I got the varieties I ordered…
The trees are in their 4th season and did not fruit yet.

#39

For me (9b) FS blooms ahead of FK.

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#40

Isn’t Satsuma about the only J Plum with “pure” salicina heritage? Don’t most others have some Americana or Myrobolan in them?