2022 - May 22 (day before 26 deg freezes for two nights). Plum 1 and 2 had blossoms 1/2 - 3/4 were open, while Northern Blue and Mont Royal each had a few tight buds. Euro's started opening May 17 while Plum 1& 2 in petal fall but still had some blossoms open and a few more buds. All full of small pollinators, few bumbles. No fruit but the bloom gives hope for next year.

2021 - Hot, dry spring. 5/18-21 all plums in full bloom, including a few blossoms on Mont Royal. 5/27 four nights of freezes 24-30 deg. No fruit.   Strong summer growth, looking more in balance with bottom tier rootstock branches. Lots of fruit buds in winter!

2019 - Northern Blue scion from Bob Purvis, European plum - grafted to central branch of Plum1 (north-most plum of three) (see main photo of graft, above). Grew well, 14" tip +2 sides, healthy.

First blooms on rootstock Plum1! (no fruit but happy to have blossoms for pollination).

2017-18 - rootstock Plum1 - Vigorous, summer tipped about wait high to encourage branching. Side shoots thin but look good. Five ft tall, graft onto next year, leave one or two original rootstock shoots for pollination and to see what kind of plum it is.

2016 - rootstock Plum1 - transplanted sucker from garden, maybe ameriplum sucker but possible it could be from old Bricker plum, planted 1993, cut down 2000 (tree split from overload of fruit and too vigorous growth). Sucker was from near where that original tree was (and still has live roots!).

Online Notes: Ripens by early August in SW Idaho. Fruit must be thinned for better size. (grandpas) very hardy, self-fertile European plum similar to Mount Royal. It ripens in mid-season in early September. Self-fertile and precocious. (st lawr) open pollinated Cheynne WY. The best of 6000 Mt Royal seedlings in crosses made by Gene Howard. Tree is precocious, self-fertile and a natural semi-dwarf."

Copyright © Susan Robishaw