Damson plumPrunus domestica

Damson plum

Damson plums

1. Prunus domestica subsp. domestica
2. Prunus oeconomica
3. Prunus domestica subsp. oeconomica

1. prune plum
2. damson
3. plum

1. European plum

1. Italian prune

1. Prune plum

1. zwetsche

1. NamePflaume

   Languagede

   Shared with

   1. Prunus domestica subsp. insititia
   2. Prunus cerasifera

   Clarification

   Zwetschgen refers specifically to prune plums or damsons, a subgroup of European plums with elongated fruits and freestone traits.

1. Prunus domestica
2. damson plum
3. prune plum tree

1. Tracheophyta
2. Angiospermae
3. Eudicotyledonae
4. Rosidae

Rose family

1. Prunus spinosa
2. Prunus cerasifera
3. Prunus insititia
4. Prunus persica
5. Prunus armeniaca
6. Prunus avium

1. fruits

The Zwetschge or prune plum is a time-tested subgroup of the European plum, prized especially for its baking qualities. Its firm flesh retains its structure and pleasant tartness even when heated.

1. Taskplanting

   Label

   Spring Planting

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 3
   2. 4

   Conditionfrost_free_soil

   Estimated efforthigh

   Notes

   Plant as early as possible in spring so the tree establishes roots before summer.

1. Taskpruning

   Label

   Summer Pruning

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 8

   Conditiondry_weather

   Estimated effortmedium

   Notes

   Pruning after harvest promotes wound healing and reduces risks of Monilia and Pseudomonas.

1. Taskplanting

   Label

   Autumn Planting

   Priorityhigh

   Months

   1. 10
   2. 11

   Conditionfrost_free_soil

   Estimated efforthigh

   Notes

   Ideal timing for bare-root fruit trees. Soil contact over winter is optimal.

1. south
2. south_west
3. west

Sunny, warm, and sheltered locations promote sugar content and minimize late spring frost damage to blossoms.

1. loam
2. sandy_loam

Nutrient-rich, deep soils with good water-holding capacity are preferred. Sandy soils dry out too quickly.

Water young trees intensively in their first year. Established trees usually require supplemental watering only during extended droughts.

1. compost
2. horn_shavings
3. organic_fruit_tree_fertilizer

Excess nitrogen leads to soft tissue, long water sprouts, and increased susceptibility to aphids.

Plan as a solitary tree or in an orchard due to its perennial lifespan. Underplanting with light-feeding herbs or nasturtiums is possible.

As a long-lived perennial crop, the damson plum occupies the same site for decades. Classic crop rotation does not apply. However, when replanting, a long break must be observed before planting after other Rosaceae species due to the risk of soil sickness.

1. prunus
2. malus
3. pyrus
4. rosaceae

1. Slugnitrogen_deficiency

   Name

   Nitrogen deficiency

   Symptoms

   Stunted growth, pale green to yellowish discoloration of older leaves, poor fruit set.

   Remedy

   Application of horn shavings or organic fruit tree fertilizer in early spring; mulching with compost.

2. Slugpotassium_deficiency

   Name

   Potassium deficiency

   Symptoms

   Leaf margins curl upward and develop brown necrosis (scorching); fruits remain small and flavorless.

   Remedy

   Apply potassium sulfate or organic fertilizers containing potassium/magnesium in the root zone.

1. Slugfruit_cracking

   Name

   Fruit cracking

   Description

   Splitting of the fruit skin shortly before ripening following heavy rain on dry soils.

   Management

   Ensure consistent soil moisture by mulching and watering during dry spells.

2. Slugfrost_cracks

   Name

   Frost cracks

   Description

   Vertical splits in the trunk bark caused by extreme temperature fluctuations in late winter (sunlight on frozen wood).

   Management

   Apply a white lime wash to the trunk in late autumn to reflect solar radiation.

1. Moths (fruit damage)
2. Aphids (shoot and leaf damage)
3. Caterpillars (leaf and bud chewing)

1. Blossom and fruit monilia (fungal)
2. Viruses (Plum pox)
3. Leaf spot fungi

1. Regular thinning cuts in summer after harvest to ensure the canopy dries quickly.
2. Strict hygiene by removing fallen fruits and fruit mummies from the orchard.
3. Whitewashing trunks in winter to prevent thermal tension cracks in the bark.
4. Balanced, potassium-focused fertilization; avoid excess nitrogen.

For withering shoots, check for Monilia blossom blight first. If fruits color prematurely and show sticky droplets, it is typically a plum fruit moth infestation.

1. Slugmonilia_rot

   Severityhigh

   Conditions

   1. Wet weather during flowering
   2. Persistent rain before harvest
   3. Injuries from hail or wasps

   Affected parts

   1. Blossoms
   2. Shoots
   3. Fruits

   Prevention

   1. Pruning to maintain an airy canopy
   2. Fruit thinning to prevent touch points

   Organic control

   1. Cutting out infected twigs in summer
   2. Collecting all fruit mummies before winter

1. Symptom

   Fruits drop prematurely in July and contain a reddish larva with a brown head.

   Possible causes

   1. grapholita-funebrana

   First checks

   1. Check for an entry hole with a sticky chew droplet.
   2. Evaluate pheromone trap flight data.
2. Symptom

   Leaves show pock-like discolorations in June, fruits have rubbery depressions.

   Possible causes

   1. plum-pox-virus

   First checks

   1. Check leaves against the light for ring patterns.
   2. Verify cultivar for plum pox resistance.

1. 1. Check fruit symptoms (larvae, spots, deformations).
2. 2. Analyze leaf symptoms (rings, yellowing, chewing signs).
3. 3. Inspect wood and bark for cracks or gummosis.

1. Bud break in early spring
2. Flowering period typically in April before or alongside leaf emergence
3. Fruit set followed by the natural June drop
4. Fruit development and coloring throughout the summer
5. Ripening phase and harvest in late summer to autumn
6. Leaf drop and entry into winter dormancy

Phenological phases shift depending on regional microclimates and the selected cultivar (early vs. late prunes).

1. 4
2. 5

White to delicate greenish-white

1. 7
2. 8
3. 9
4. 10

High but often biennial yield depending on early summer thinning practices.

Selective harvesting in multiple passes over several days is recommended, as fruits ripen successively on the tree.

1. Fruits are completely blue-purple, including around the stem attachment.
2. The flesh yields slightly to gentle thumb pressure.
3. The characteristic whitish waxy bloom is fully developed on the skin.
4. The fruit separates easily from the fruiting wood along with its stem.

Handle fruits carefully during harvest to preserve the protective waxy bloom. Bruising accelerates spoilage.

1. fresh_cellar
2. refrigerated
3. frozen
4. processed

Short-term storage when fresh; excellent suitability for preservation processing.

Fresh fruits keep for about 1 to 2 weeks in cold storage. Frozen or preserved fruits keep for many months.

1. Freezing (pitted)
2. Canning as compote or stewed plum jam (Zwetschgenmus)
3. Dehydrating into prunes
4. Distilling into fruit brandy (Zwetschgenwasser)

Very high, as prune plums retain their firm structure and pleasant acidity during baking, unlike many juicy plum varieties.

Classic baking fruit for sheet cakes (Zwetschgendatschi), dumpling fillings, and fruit spreads.

1. Fruit flesh
2. Fruit skin

1. Seed/pit (contains cyanogenic glycosides)
2. Leaves
3. Bark

Consumption of the fruit flesh is perfectly safe. The inner kernels inside the hard pits contain amygdalin and must not be ingested.

Excellent for raw consumption; fully ripe prunes taste pleasantly sweet-tart and refreshing straight from the tree.

Difficult or impractical for home gardeners.

1. Completely clean the fruit flesh away from the hard seed pit.
2. Clean the pits and subject them to cold treatment (stratification) in moist sand over winter.
3. Sow out in spring.

Seedlings of Prunus domestica exhibit high genetic segregation. True-to-type propagation of prune plums is achieved exclusively through vegetative methods like grafting (budding or whipping) onto compatible rootstocks.

1. Rundkrone
2. Spindelbusch
3. Schlanke Spindel
4. Palmette

Prune plums react strongly in growth vigor depending on the rootstock. Fruitwood renewal prevents aging and exhaustion of weeping fruiting branches.

The blossoms appearing in April offer an abundant early food source for wild bees, bumblebees, and honeybees. Fallen fruits serve as a major energy source for butterflies and wasps in late summer.

Rip out vertical water sprouts by hand at the base during June or July instead of cutting them. This prevents sleeping buds from generating new unwanted shoots almost entirely.