Sweet and Lucious Goodness-Fresh Eating with No Insect or Disease Issues
"Sugary Fortune" represents a new form of wild goose plum found as a chance seedling in my plantings grown from seed from the original wild goose plum. Unlike most wild plums, this selection is very sweet with only a teeny hint of tartness in the skin. The fruit can be harvested early and will contain a bit of tartness in the skin but very little. The inside fruit is very sweet. This is partially due to its beach plum background. Once fully ripened on the tree, it is great eaten fresh off the tree. There are no insects or diseases that effect the plant or fruit which allows it to be grown using all organic methods very easily. The plant naturally roots by stolons as well in form of a colony and if put on its own roots, this selection could easily be managed as a plum thicket. It is one of the few wild goose plums that has spread beyond its plantings by this method. It is consistent enough that it creates a beneficial management tool for the orchard in that the orchard will never need to be replanted again or outside nursery stock will never be needed as it self propagates. The stolons are cut off and planted in this method.
This is a series of seedling Wild Goose Plums from my plantings that show the highest productivity, no insect or disease issues and offer a chance to enjoy a flavor profile not found in the rather insipid plums found today. Although small in size, they pack a lot of flavor. This sweet freestone selection hints at the first wild plum with a more mellow flavor without the normal astringency and over the top tartness that are more reserved for jams and jellies. It is the result of its hybridity with the beach plum that really increased its yield and disease resistance. Never underestimate the power of the beach plum.
Ripening occurs starting in mid to late August. I am currently harvesting seed and will have the seed available in mid to late September. The seedlings from this group are worth growing for creating other wild swarms of plums that fall in the middle of the Wild goose and beach plum populations as they do not segregate out as one or another.
To germinate the seed; Seed is easy to do. Store in cold moisture peat moss in refrigeration for 90-120 days. Will begin sprouting in 60-90 days in cold. Remove those and continue the dormancy until the end. Some will take two years to germinate after going through another dormancy period. Usually only a small percentage require this second dormancy. This seed is held in refrigeration but not frozen or moist. Do not soak the seed when you get it. Just add lightly moist Canadian peat moss and then start your dormancy. Seeds can be direct planted outside as well planting 1/2 inch deep. Watch for pilfering from voles and chipmunks.
| Plant Specs |
| Genus & Species |
Prunus hortulana x maritima |
| Seed Source |
Michigan |
| Hardiness |
-25F or more |
| Height (ft) |
5-8 ft. tall with equal width. May grow up to 10 ft. tall if pruned. Fruiting creates a more roundish wide spreading crown. |
| Pollination Requirements |
Likely self fertile but has not been tested yet. Other wild plums nearby include wild goose plum relatives which I am sure help contribute to its production capabilities. |
| Soil |
Sandy, loam, slightly acidic is ideal. |
| Climate |
Zones 3-8. Probably would thrive in dry locations if grafted on the right rootstock or if rooted on its own. |
| Ease of Cultivation |
Super easy to establish and grow. From seed, will create a very solid population of plums that can be used as is without further cultivar selection or used to create unique flavors by selection. Much easier to raise than sweet cherries for sure but then again, not a competitor to that crop in any way. One of the best fresh off the tree wild plums. Easily grafted or rooted from stolon cuttings. |
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