There are literally hundreds of different varieties of plums that are all unique. There are two basic groups of plums, the European varieties (Prunus Domestica)and the Japanese varieties (Prunus Salicina). They are both part of the stone fruit or drupe genus along with peaches, cherries and nectarines.  

The European varieties are oval or teardrop-shaped and have purple to blue skin. Most varieties are smaller than the Japanese plums we usually see.

The Japanese varieties are most common in the U.S. They are round in shape, with some having a pointed tip and come in shades of red, black, green, purple or yellow.

Then within those families there are hundreds of different varieties, each with their own specific color shape and flavor. When you go to the supermarket during the summer there will be new varieties of plums about every 1.5 to 2 weeks. Each variety has its own harvest window that is the same every year. A variety that is ready for harvest the first week of June will always have fruit ready to be picked the first week of June year after year. Growers have timed varieties so that they have fruit ready to pick all through the summer. Not all growers grow the same varieties, each grower has their favorite varieties they like to grow and some growers even have naturally cross bred certain varieties for flavor, nutrition and color.

Tags: Plum Varieties

Posted in Plum Varieties

A blog only about plums is unbelievable enough on its own. Who would have thought there is that much interesting stuff going on about plums? While it may not suit the 6 o’clock news, there are happenings and stories out there that are worth sharing. Especially in a time when finding out how your food is grown, harvested and marketed is so important. Did you know 90% of the nations plums are grown in the San Joaquin Valley of California from multi generational family farms?

Growing up in the Central Valley, I have had the opportunity to see first hand how stone fruit  growers plant, maintain and improve their orchards. It’s such a labor intensive precess that is unlike any other crop. Living with orchards that are sometimes close to 20 years old is a much different experience than growing up next to a field of alfalfa.

There’s enough headlines about our nation’s mega industrialized corporate agricultural practices and processed food woes to bury our family farm stories. In an effort to help tell California plum growers stories and help consumers know a little more about their fruit we decided to launch www.Plumbelieveable.com. Any questions, comments or ideas can be sent to geoffj4@gmail.com.

Tags: Central Valley, Plums

Posted in About