HYBRID  (PRAIRIE HARDY) PLUMS

This group of plums are extremely winter hardy to Zone 3.  They are hybrids of the Japanese plum (Prunus salacina) and the native plums (Prunus Nigra) or (Prunus Americana), or seedlings of native plums.   Grown on Prunus Americana rootstock. Two varieties are needed for cross pollination to produce fruit.

Reminiscent of Japanese plums, although usually smaller, good fresh eating or preserves.  Plant in full sun, in well-drained soil.  Space 16-20' apart, closer spacing is permissible on the prairies as the trees will not be quite as vigorous.  Fruit ripens through August.  Fully tree ripen the fruit for fresh eating, pick earlier for preserves.  Most varieties ripen over a 10 day span - not all at once.

These pollinate well with the Japanese Plums.

Brookgold - A Japanese plum, but much hardier than most due to it's origin in Manchuria.  Golden fruit may be blushed, freestone.  Released  from Brooks, Alberta 1980.  Harvest mid Aug.  Late bloom. Mid sized tree. 

Brookred - Hardy Japanese type, seedling of 'Ivanovka' released from Brooks, Alberta 1962.  Fairly vigorous tree, red fruit, fresh eating or preserves. 

Grenville -  A cross of the Japanese plum Burbank with native Canadian plum (Prunus Nigra) from Ottawa 1932.  Early bloom, vigorous tree, prolific yields.  Dark rosy red fruit, yellow flesh, large clingstone. 

 La Crescent - A plumcot resulting from a cross of 'Howard Yellow' apricot and 'Shiro' Japanese plum.  From University of Minnesota 1923.  Yellow, good for fresh eating.  

Patterson's Pride - Native Canadian (Prunus Nigra) X Japanese Plum 1960, from University of Saskatchewan.  A unique tree in this group as it is naturally dwarf with a weeping habit.  Red plums, bears well, good for small locations.  Early bloom, a good partner for Grenville, often blooms with Apricot. 

 Pembina -Native Canadian plum X Japanese (Red June).  From South Dakota 1917.  Dark red fruit, yellow flesh.  Good fresh eating, vigorous tree, productive, large fruit.  One of the oldest in this group of plums. 

Pipestone -From Minnesota 1942.  Parents include Burbank and Wolf. Large, vigorous tree, good sized fruit coloured dark red over yellow, juicy , good fresh eating, freestone. 

South Dakota - A pollinator for the later blooming hybrid plums.  A Prunus Americana selection.  Small yellow plums for preserves.  Released 1949.  Freestone. 

Tecumseh -From South Dakota 1918, a cross of 'Shiro' X 'Surprise'.  Bears heavy crops of red plums, yellow flesh, the earliest of this group to ripen and one of the best for fresh eating when fully tree ripened. 

Toka -A cross of native plum X the Chinese plumcot (P.Simoni) from South Dakota 1911.  The best poliinator for the majority of this group.  Small yellow fruit for preserves.  Vigorous, upright growth habit.