Prunus domestica explained

Prunus domestica is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae. A deciduous tree, it includes many varieties of the fruit trees known as plums in English, though not all plums belong to this species. The greengages and damsons also belong to subspecies of P. domestica.

Its hybrid parentage was believed to be Prunus spinosa and P. cerasifera;[1] [2] however recent cytogenetic evidence seem to implicate 2×, 4×, 6× P. cerasifera as the sole wild stock from which the cultivated 6× P. domestica could have evolved.[3]

Description

Typically it forms a large shrub or a small tree. It may be somewhat thorny, with white blossom, borne in early spring. The oval or spherical fruit varies in size, but can be up to 8cm (03inches) across. The pulp is usually sweet,[4] but some varieties are sour. Like all Prunus fruits, it contains a single large seed, usually called a stone, which is discarded when eating.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Cullen et al. (1995) recognises three subspecies,[5] though scientific studies favor a more fine-grained separation:

  • P. domestica ssp. domestica – prune plums, zwetschge (including ssp. oeconomica)
  • P. domestica ssp. insititia – damsons and bullaces, krieche, kroosjes, perdrigon and other European varieties
  • P. domestica ssp. intermedia – egg plums (including Victoria plum)
  • P. domestica ssp. italica – gages (greengages, round plums etc.; including sspp. claudiana and rotunda)
  • P. domestica ssp. pomariorum – spilling
  • P. domestica ssp. prisca – zibarte
  • P. domestica ssp. syriaca – mirabelle plums
The subspecies cross easily, so that numerous intermediate forms can be found: their sweetness and tartness may vary, their colors varying from bluish-purple to red, orange, yellow or light green.

Cultivars

Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use. The following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

Uses

The pulp is edible[18] and usually sweet, though some varieties are sour and require cooking with sugar to make them palatable.

Plums are grown commercially in orchards, but modern rootstocks, together with self-fertile strains, training and pruning methods, allow single plums to be grown in relatively small spaces. Their early flowering and fruiting means that they require a sheltered spot away from frosts and cold winds.

Most prunes (dried plums) are made from fruits of this species.

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Genetics of Garden Plants. Crane. M.B.. Lawrence. W.J.C.. MacMillan & Co. LTD. 1947. 233. 2017-06-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20171215084723/http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/bitstream/1/2045588/1/16908.pdf. 2017-12-15. dead.
  2. Book: Khanizadeh, S. . Cousineau, J. . 2000 . Our Plums/Les Pruniers de chez nous . Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Agriculteur et Agroalimentaire Canada . 978-0-660-61568-4 .
  3. Zohary. Daniel. 1992-03-01. Is the European plum, Prunus domestica L., a P. cerasifera EHRH. × P. spinosa L. allo-polyploid?. Euphytica. en. 60. 1. 75–77. 10.1007/BF00022260. 10923512. 0014-2336.
  4. Book: Klein, Carol . Grow Your Own Fruit . . 2009 . 978-1-84533-4345 . United Kingdom . 96–97.
  5. Cullen, J. et al. (1995). The European Garden Flora. Volume IV. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  6. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Blue Rock' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175412/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4931 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  7. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Blue Tit' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175449/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4584 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  8. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Czar' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175415/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1533 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  9. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Imperial Gage' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175535/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4594 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  10. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Jefferson' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175452/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=5786 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  11. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Laxton's Delight' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175350/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=5895 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  12. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Mallard' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175541/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=4933 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  13. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Marjory's Seedling' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175347/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=5739 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  14. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Opal' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175505/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1534 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  15. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Oullins Gage' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175304/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1535 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  16. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Pershore' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175455/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=5982 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  17. Web site: RHS Plant Selector – Prunus domestica 'Victoria' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131104175430/http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1536 . 4 November 2013 . 29 May 2013.
  18. Book: Little, Elbert L. . The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region . Knopf . 1980 . 0-394-50760-6 . New York . 498.

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