PLUMS

In order of ripening

Dan’s Early

Early December large, red skin yellow flesh great texture and flavour; large tree, huge cropper. Large spreading tree, best quality early plum around. Duff’s Early Jewel pollinator. Partially self fertile. Is pollinated by Marabella and Duff’s Early Jewel

Duffs Early Jewel

This is an early plum that is a really good pollinator for most of the Japanese plums. If you’re having trouble with pollination in Japanese plums and you have bees around then this tree should help. The plums are early and good to eat ripe Dec. self fertile

Marabella

Our most reliable, heaviest cropping plum. This plum came to our collection from Jim and June Cox and to them as collectors from a family whose ancestors had picked it up on the journey over when their boat stopped in South Africa. It is a well known South African plum. lt is a small plum, red skin, yellow flesh and is an O.K desert plum but it is an outstanding cooking plum. with an almond flavour and  no bitterness at all. We love them for breakfast. Self fertile.

Tamaki Special

This is an outstanding plum, from the collection of the late Dan Hansen of Wilderland fame. Dan was an amazing gardener and collected many fruit trees whose value he saw. This is one of the best (Dan’s Early is another). It is a large, dark red meaty plum which is full of flavour and very sweet. It is always a vigorous growing tree. Ripe January after Marabella. Pollinated by Duff’s Early Jewel and other plums.

 Ahipara Prune

This is a very special plum that I found growing in a long abandoned orchard on the Ahipara Gumfields many years ago. We have it fruiting here now and I think it is the old Victoria plum that many people ask us for. It is a large egg shaped classic looking prune except it ripens earlier than all the others, in January. With a dark red skin, yellow very sweet sugary flesh and free stone it is an excellent plum. Self Fertile.

Marahemo Prune

This plum was brought in to me one day by an elderly couple who knew how special it was. It’s a small very sweet prune plum with spots on the red skin.  Originally from an old orchard at Marahemo, on the edges of the Kaipara. Self fertile.

Burbank

Burbank Plums were some of the very earliest plums to enter the north (came into the Kaipara with the Dalmatian s) and all the old orchards had one. They are quite small trees that are easy to manage and they are very heavy reliable croppers The fruit is large, with a dark red blush over most of the yellow skin when ripe and the flesh is yellow and comes away from the stone when fully ripe. Best eaten as a desert plum especially great if you have a small space. Self fertile.

Italian Prune

P rune plum! Dark purple skin egg shaped, freestone, fine textured rich flavour and very sweet. Self fertile.

Damson

Most of the old orchards around here had Damsons in them. Another small easily managed tree self fertile as well that has small dark skinned yellow fruit that is tart but full of flavour so excellent for jam and sauce and gin!!!

Black Prince

Large dark red meaty flesh, purple/green skin, Freestone, excellent taste, pick over long period keeps well. From an old French orchard in the Hokianga. Heavy precocious cropper. Ripe February March partially self-fertile hedgerow pollinator plums will help. Similar to Omega.