Queen Rosa has a nice red colour with a yellow flesh. Has the old-fashioned plum smell, a slight tart skin and sweet flesh. Size is good and fruit is harvested early January.
Black Amber is a black plum with an amber flesh. Fruit is sweet and of good size. This has been a popular variety for export because of its keeping ability. Makes a nice display especially as a border. Fruit is harvested mid January.
Donsworth is an old-fashioned blood plum. It has a dark maroon colour with a red / green spots. Skin is tart but the flesh is sweet. Fruit stores and handles well. Taiwan likes this variety after it has been in sea freight for 16 days. Fruit is harvested mid January.
Frontier is another blood plum that is sweet to eat. The skin colour is red and there is no tartness in the skin. The plum is a heart shape with a lighter red coloured flesh. Fruit is harvested in mid January as well.
Mariposa is the old blood plum everyone remembers. It has an ugly look to it but still a very popular variety sort by many. It is a popular variety for jams and sources because of its colour but most people like its flavour, as it is the first of the sweeter varieties. Fruit is harvested late January.
Amber Jewel is a super sweet variety that will make people come back for more. The fruit has a red skin with a yellow background and an amber flesh. Fruit can be grown very large and has excellent keeping qualities. Fruit is harvested early February.
Sierra Sweet is a small plum that is very sweet. It looks like a big red prune (sugar plum). Fruit is red with a yellow flesh and is very firm. It is a very popular variety in Asia because of its crunchiness and sweetness. Fruit is harvested in early February.
Queen Anne is a hard sweet plum. The skin colour is a dark red to black with a white to pale yellow flesh. Fruit size can be quite large although the tree is not very strong. Fruit is harvested mid February.
Kelsey has a lime green flesh going to yellow with the odd red blush. This is a very sweet plum, as it has no acid at all. Fruit can grow quite large but being a green plum shows marks very easy. Being green makes people hesitate in selecting this variety but once they have tried this variety will always look for it. This plum sells very well at the growers markets as well as Asia.
Ausibelle is a very large dark coloured plum with a white to pale yellow flesh. It is a sweet variety that will keep well. It has little acid and makes a very good gift plum, as it will look good in a fruit bowl. Fruit is harvested late February.
Tegan Blue is a popular variety as it is large, hard, dark red to black plum. Being hard retailers believe this variety will keep better than others but it doesn’t. Flavour is sweet but fruit can be quite acid if picked to early. Fruit is harvested late February.
Mid Red has a beautiful red colour and a nice pale yellow flesh. This fruit is firm and very sweet. This variety sells very well in the Asian market because of its size, colour and flavour. Fruit is picked late February / early March.
Hunters Late is another green plum going yellow. If the variety is thinned hard fruit size will be very large. The variety is sweet to eat and has good keeping qualities. This variety is harvested early March.
Radiance is a red firm plum with an amber flesh. This variety often is picked to early being very acidic this then causes fruit to soften quickly. If aloud to ripen properly fruit will have full red colour, high sugar, remain firm and have excellent keeping qualities. This variety is picked in mid March.
Angelino is California’s popular late season variety. This variety is a dark coloured plum with a light amber coloured flesh. It is firm with excellent keeping qualities. Fruit is harvested in April.
Plums are best stored at 0-2 degrees Celsius and a humidity of about 90%.
Plums are sensitive to the effects of ethylene and will ripen at different rates depending on variety. Plums are also sensitive to the regular change in temperature. Keep the temperature constant either in the cold room or on display.
Due to the difference in sizes, colours and varieties of plums a wide selection can be displayed to give the consumer a greater choice. Stock should be checked regularly and rotated often as quality fruit that tastes good will sell more and bring consumers back.
Due to a range of sizes you can cater for all the market. Size 45mm – 54mm are suitable for children and can be packed in bags. Size 54mm – 60mm are suitable for adults who will eat larger pieces of fruit and sizes above 60mm are used for the decoration in fruit bowls ect.
Plums are a nutritious fruit that everyone can enjoy. Plums have a low GI which is good for diabetics and children who don’t need that burst of energy that sugars give eg chocolate. They are a good source of fibre and a great snack as they will fill you up and you don’t feel hungry as well as giving you that constant energy we all need.
