I’m in zone 4a and Mount Royal does not bear every year here, but when it does it’s a feast. Consider this a fisherman’s tale. In year five my MR gave me 100 lbs of plums. I had to do significant thinning to prevent branches breaking. The following winter had multiple nights down to - 38 celcius and the few flowers that came out in spring were weak, deformed, and never set any plums. There was only a 1/2 inch of dieback on new wood that winter. Summer of year 7 also provided few blossoms and no plums. Here in year 8 I’m guessing 75 lbs of plums, they are a little later this year. It has done a better job of self thinning and I am worried about only one branch. In my experience the tree is hardy down to zone 3B. The blossoms are hardy only to zone 4A or maybe only 4B. My assumption is that in a warmer climate you will have more “on” years than I do. Mount Royal is self fertile. So far it is the only European plum to flower for me. I’m out in the country in an area where few grow plums.
If I add a Mt. Royal it will be in zone 6b so sounds like it might do pretty good there.
@fullplate, @chinook, you can just halve a few ripe prunes and throw them in the skillet a few minutes before the pork is done cooking; a little brown sugar and maybe a squeeze and/or grating of citrus and/or fresh ginger and just let it cook down with the juices from the meat. It can become a barbecue sauce pretty quickly. Apricots work real well for this too, as would peaches. If it needs a little extra time after you take the meat out you can turn up the heat for a minute or two.
I don’t do much grilling, but somebody here does something like this on the grill, I’m sure! Maybe plums plus pineapple, tomato halves, or some such.
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