I have a “gold” plum that had nearly all of its flowers liked by a freeze in March. Later in the spring it sent out more flowers on new growth. I had more fruit set on this new growth than the original buds. I would like to replicate this moving forward and try a pollinator. Does anyone have a plum variety that reblooms months after a hard freeze? Can you strip the buds late winter to induce a later bloom on new wood reliably on plums? Variety suggestions?
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Some of my young Chickasaw plums re-bloomed too. Maybe there is some Chickasaw in the mature tree. It would explain why I got some fruit set.
This is a reaction to stress, not something you should care to rely on. Trees are the happiest when they seamlessly compete their seasonal cycles and are ready to go dormant in the winter.
What zone are you in? On very cold zones like mine for something like this it is often better to take the late flowers out and let the tree compete its seasonal journey so new growth can get established and the tree hardens properly.
I fear the tree will suffer the stress of getting cut down if it gets frosted out every year. Lol. Might as well try.
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The tree rebloomed again this year. I did nothing to it to cause the rebloom. It had been frosted out and had set maybe 3 or 4 fruits from the initial heavy bloom. The re bloom has been protracted through the month of May, and some look like they have been pollinated. It would be nice to locate a pollinator that behaves the same way, or perhaps I could grow my own from the seeds of these late pollinated fruits. Some of my wild chickasaws did produce a couple of really late blossoms at the very top of the trees, but they are so thin and far away, pollination is not likely. The variety appears to be more like a satsuma plum than gold plum like it was labeled.
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Try saving some pollen from you earliest blooming Chickasaw and hand pollinate if the bloom times don’t line up well enough. I did that this year with a Santa Rosa and used it on my Gold.
@SoMtHomestead … man I have the worst luck with jplums… get frosted, no fruit, 90% of the time.
That was my experience in the past and this spring… i started a couple jplums… shiro and au rosa… and had high hopes.
We had two nights mid march in the 25 26 range.
AU Rosa had already bloomed and set 100 tiny plums… they got frosted and dropped.
I grafted a scion of AU producer on my rosa and it took and has grown nicely.
I have a TN nursery plum bloom chart that shows…
Shiro -2
AU rosa 0
AU producer 2
Gold Plum 5
(Compared to santa rosa).
But this first spring… au rosa bloomed and finished… then 2 or 3 days later shiro opened 1 blossom. That may not repeat next spring once they are both established some.
It sounds like gold and producer and possibly rosa… may pollinate some. If my shiro continues being later… it might bloom with gold.
If you might be interested in any of my plum or apple scions, fig cuttings, etc… i would sure be interested in some gold plum scions.
A plum that reblooms may be my only real consistent hope with jplums.
Thanks
TNHunter
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Hi Trev, i am certain the tree in question is not “gold”. It is one of my earliest bloomers and makes a red fleshed purple and green plum. I would be glad to share some scions with you next winter.
These are all on the same tree today. If you got scions from me labeled South Mountains plumcot, then you have this variety.
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This tree is still going. There are blooms after picking ripe fruit. I’m going to change the name of this one to South Mountains everbearing plum!
I’ve got a week established e plum that I’m going to graft in spring, if you have any scion of this, this winter, I would be really interested to try some on it. we get that late frost/freeze every few years and it’s hell on the plums
I have a new shiro and au rosa… with a very succesful graft of au producer on the au rosa.
I checked them out today… growing nicely.
Now that is what i need a plum that comes back and blooms again after a frost… my jplums almost always get toasted…
@SoMtHomestead … i have a note on my trade list to check with you for a couple scions this winter. Perhaps we can trade or i will gladly pay shipping.
Thanks
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Yet another round of plum blossoms. If any of these form fruit they will have to be self fruitful. There are no other prunus flowers anywhere near me.
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