Plum - Prunus
Domestica / Salicina / Simonii

Plums are likely one of the first fruits domesticated by humans - and the three most abundantly found species are not found in the wild, but only around areas that have been settled: Prunus domestica has been traced to the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe, and in China the Prunus salicina and Prunus simonii. Plum remains have been found in archaeological sites from the Neolithic age along with figs, grapes and olives, grapes and figs. It is possible that plums originated in Iran.

Plums flower early in the season and can be damaged by spring frosts. European plums tend to be more frost tolerant than Japanese varieties. Disease susceptibility and vigour varies widely within plum varieties and you should be careful both with your variety selection and where you choose to plant. Japanese plums are susceptible to both bacterial canker (Pseudomonas syringae pv.) and bacterial spot (Xanthomonas prunii p.v. prunii). European plums are regarded as self-fertile (with some exceptions), however, cross pollination is recommended to ensure good, full heavy crops. Japanese plums on the other hand are mostly not self-fertile with many varieties requiring specific pollination and some varieties only have value as highly fertile pollen donors, the fruit itself not being sought after. The European plums cannot pollinate the Japanese plums and vice versa.