In article ,
echinosum writes:
|
| Those big black plums are grown in places like southern spain, and in
| Chile (centred on Santiago, at least 800km N of the region with an
| English-like climate). When properly ripe (so rare to find them like
| that here, but I've been in Chile in late summer/autumn a couple of
| times and got fully ripe ones) they are one of the most delicious
| fruits on the planet. But I really think you have no chance in even a
| 2003-strength Norfolk summer.

Well, I wouldn't rate them that highly - but that is a matter of taste!
The UK supermarket versions of most imported fruit are pale shadows of
what they can be, for the reason you give, and that they need to be
picked underripe for transport.

| If you want a super-delicious plum that can be grown in England,
| needing a good summer to ripen it, try Coe's Golden Drop.

Or Cambridge gage, or ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Those big black plums are grown in places like southern spain, and in Chile (centred on Santiago, at least 800km N of the region with an English-like climate). When properly ripe (so rare to find them like that here, but I've been in Chile in late summer/autumn a couple of times and got fully ripe ones) they are one of the most delicious fruits on the planet. But I really think you have no chance in even a 2003-strength Norfolk summer.
When I see the names of the plum varieties grown in Chile, http://www.chileanfreshfruit.com/plume.shtml I discover that none of them is on Brogdale's list.

If you want a super-delicious plum that can be grown in England, needing a good summer to ripen it, try Coe's Golden Drop.

I've just discovered that those big (often black) plums grown in warmer climates are japanese plums, P salicina, though many of the varieties grown outside the far east originate in California or Australia. Now it turns out that there are some P salicina sold for cultivation in this country. http://www.readsnursery.co.uk/cultur...lum-trees.html
They are the only nursery in the country listed on RHS plant finder with P salicina. But one or two others do seem to be selling eg "Methley" but describing it as P domestica.
Since Reads is in Norfolk, you may have a chance! They are very early flowering though. Elsewhere on the web I read they do need protection to keep the fruit.
http://www.fruitforum.net/poor-mans-fruit-walls.htm

Thanks, that's very interesting, I'll take a look. I'm sure I can find a suitable spot to plant one.
I was truly amazed by the size of those fruit, and even asked the grocer if they had been mis-labelled.
As all my land is on a south facing slope, it tends to get the best of whatever sun there happens to be, and the slope helps to conduct the cold frosty air downhill away from my trees, so there are no frost pockets.
I may be lucky, and won't know untill I try.

Tim.

Supermarket, humm, can't remember the last time I visited one,
except to buy diesel.

My favourite plum WAS a Belle de Louvain, but now I'm not so sure.

But it was mainly the size of the fruit that I was commenting on,
and how meagerly a Victoria looks by comparison.

Tim.

In case you are still looking, you can buy them online at www.harvestfinefoods.co.uk