Hi,

I have a three year old "Jublieum" plum.

Its reasonably healthy (I think), though ive had to chop a branch off because of bacterial canker.

It has only produced about three plums, (to be expected being so young).
but...these fruits have a strange, clear, plastic like, thread coming out of them, its not sweet to the taste (not sure whether tasting was a good idea but i wanted exclude crystalline sugar). The fruits are a good shape and are developing well.

Is this a natural or pathological process?

Thanks for your guidance

Ed

Hello Ed,
It is quite common to find this exudate coming from plums. (A bit like
sap coming from cuts on pine trees) and is not disease related.
It is natural but can be caused by a number of items.
First is insect damage, casing leakage of sap from the fruit.
Water availability is another issue. when there is a dry spell,
followed by rapid availability then the surge in pressure can cause the
leakage to occur.
The skin of the plum could be damaged by insects as mentioned, abrasion
or other physical damage (by wasps or birds especially blue tits).
It is often evident when the plums start to ripen. Plums do not ripen
simutaneously, so it is necessary to pick over the tree several times.
Do you know what cultivar you have?
Clifford,
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Thanks, that what I was thinking, hence the tasting, but I became worried when it wasnt sweet. But the plums arent ripe so that figures.

The water theory sounds good, bit worried about insect damage though (saw fly in particular but there isnt a black exudate)

The tree is a Jublileum on a st julien A rootstock.

Thanks again

Ed