The little tree labeled “green gage plum” from Costco is starting to shoot out leaves, but they are red leaves!
And my Euro plums are not doing much (except French prune is starting up) but the Asian plums are much farther ahead in general. This makes me think, this tree might be an Asian plum, or not even a plum at all!!
I agree with you. Probably an Asian plum or hybrid. In my area Asian plums are in full flower and Euro’s still completely dormant.
My marriana plum rootstock has red leaves. I think Bounty has red leaves when it first opens too. So probably still a plum of some kind.
It may be Hollywood. I have not seen a red leafed green gage. So probably something else
Dennis
Kent, wa
Yes, must be something else.
It was marked from “Performance Nursery” in Somis, CA.
I tried to look at their PDF for inventory, but it’s they’re using the Latin name for everything. Lol.
Some of my Euro plums are coming out right now. My green gage, Bavay’s Green Gage and Golden Drop are all still dormant but my Mirabelles are leafing out right now. It has been an unusually warm April though. I am unsure if we have had a snow this April even.
I think Costco was selling from Performance Nursery if I was correct. My tree died in a year so I returned it. To edit I just saw you posted about it earlier in February. I guess we learned Costco was selling mislabeled plants and I commented back then even that I have had mixed results with Costco. My mother went to Costco today and she told me they were already selling leafed out plants in April. I told her I know and it is stupid because they pull out before our final frost date. Something I have learned is Costco is typically a month early to everything and depending on what it is you can get it for cheaper elsewhere. Every year Costco sells the annual Sawarnski ornament and never buy it from Costco. They sell it for what Amazon sells it for and weeks before Christmas you will see it drop to 30 something dollars from other stores while Costco never drops. In fact that is the trend I noticed with Costco. State you have the best deal or product but there is always better deals or products if you look.
It’s bench grafted, so probably not a root stock, because why would somebody graft a root stock variety to a root stock? That would be hilarious!
I don’t really care that it’s not a green gage because we have a Bavay’s, Golden Transparent, Oullins and Jefferson, all from TOA. We probably are off to a good start in the European Plum department. I might even have picked “too similar” varieties without knowing.
Did yours have red leaves too? Or do you think it was a true green gage?
My green gage is from elsewhere and does not have red leaves. All of my Euro plums have green. The only plants I remember having that had red leaves was the Spice Zee Necta Plum and the purple leafed Hazelnut seedling. Most plants have green in my experience. There are some plants that start out different like purple passion asparagus starts purple and ends green when you let it go.
It was unusually warm here too but now 50% chance of snow today and tomorrow.
Of course. Just pointing out some plums do have red leaves. Although none of my gages do
I have seen red leaved plum trees, seems like they were more for decoration and had little plums. Pretty leaves though.
What do you think of our euro plum selection? Have not got to try them yet but hope I picked good varieties.
Looks like you have a really nice selection of plums. We’re probably in much different climates, but Bavays has been a great variety for me. Probably the most vigorous plum I have.
I planted it right next to a Reine Claude Doree the same year, and it looks like a giant standing next to a child. I think the Bavays has grown 3 feet a year, and Doree maybe 6 inches a year so far.
Jefferson is one I would like to add. Hope you can share how it does for you in the future.
I bought the same mis-labeled red/purple leaf “green gage” from Costco this February. I realized it’s not green gage after it leafed out. I don’t know what to do with this plant. It’s too late to plant the bare root tree this year. I like green gage so I bought & grafted a green gage scion and grafted it to my stone fruit tree this year.
From the label, it’s from performance nursery in Somis, CA. I checked their plant inventory. It’s possible mislabeled hollywood plum or purpleleaf sand cherry. I may keep it if it’s hollywood plum. Otherwise, I may remove it and replant a green gage plum next year.
Return it to Costco. That is what I did when my apple died within a year. To me the main difference between Costco and other stores is their return policy. Take away their return policy and they are not very special. Your typical person will never spend what they need to unless they have a big family. I think Food Theory did a video on Costco and they said Costco’s main demographic is actually middle aged woman in their 30s and 40s who are middle class and have a family. Those who do not have big families would never be able to spend enough to justify it and those without families would not be able to eat enough to justify it.
I’m still trying to identify what this plant is. I will keep it if it’s a Hollywood plum tree. Yes, I will consider to return it to Costco otherwise.
Hollywood or Thundercloud (cherry plum/myrobalan) would be my guesses. The leaves serrated? I couldn’t tell for sure from the photos.
@DragonflyLane and @ql608
I think @elivings1 is probably right with the Spice Zee Nectaplum. Here are a couple comparison pictures. Note the leaf shape and the edging on the early leaves.
Can always graft on green gage too … i have one - can share scions for summer bud or winter grafting.
Fruit trees in my region consistently leaf out before the last frost date- sometimes more than a month before. Flower buds can generally survive down to about 24F and leaf buds below that.
