Comments on: Cherry plums: a promise fulfilled

By: Paul Shelton

Paul Shelton — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 23:16:26 +0000

I came to this site searching for info on a delicious miniature yellow plum growing of all places in the draw of a switchback heading down into the Snake River canyon in western Idaho. I scrambled down to it and picked a couple quarts before my wife insisted I quit. Very sweet and tart at the same time, which is great for jam or thick syrup. The natural question is: how did this tree come to be here? Where is it native? — and if not native to North America, what settler in the last 150 years brought it west and grew it in the fertile bottoms of the river canyons of this region. And most likely, some traveler in the last 30 years threw a pit that beat all the odds. To stubble upon such a tree is a rare treasure to both eat its fruit and to contemplate its history. By the way, the Snake River Canyon (also calls Hell’s Canyon) and all the surrounding country in eastern Oregon and western Idaho is a magnificent spectacle of topography, geology, and natural beauty. May you be lucky enough to visit someday and find a miniature yellow plum on the way.

By: the Urbane Forager

the Urbane Forager — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:22:11 +0000

Hi
Nice to meet like minded folk out here.
I just spotted a cherry plum tree today – laden with purple fruit.
On testing the fruit fell sweetly into my hands
Do you have any recipes? I’m thinking chutney or pickle of some kind…
I’m heading back with my kids this weekend to crop us a bagfull.
here is our little blog, maybe we can exchange links?http://theurbaneforager.blogspot.com/

By: Karin Fester

Karin Fester — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:26:59 +0000

Hi Chris, I have several Cherry Plum trees and they are old and they still produce abundant fruit every year. But I think it’s because there are several Cherry Plum trees around, as well as other plum species. It might help to plant another plum tree or two.
Good luck!

By: Karin Fester

Karin Fester — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:20:50 +0000

Hi, I love your article about Cherry Plums. I have these in my fruit orchard here in Italy, both the red and the yellow types. I use them to make marmalade and for cakes. They are sooo delicious.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:03:30 +0000

I bought a cherry plum in Somerset 5 years ago. It has never borne fruit. I am looking out of my window seeing the most fantastic blossom on it as always. Does anyone know how I can get it to fuit? Does it need a pollinator? Thank you

By: helen

helen — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:54:05 +0000

i believe i have a cherry plum tree in my garden but nobody has mentioned anything about barbs on it. my tree has hard sharp barbs on the trunk and down the branches, but the fruit are the same as the ones on a cherry plum. the barbs are not as frequent as on a blackthorn but too frequent to be able to just grab a branch. can you help please, thank you

By: Lisa G

Lisa G — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:42:20 +0000

I just found these in my garden! I planted a bunch of native hedgerow trees/shrubs years ago but this is the first time I have seen these fruits. Marvelous! Can’t wait to make a jam or jelly from them. 2-3′ trees are available from a nursery in Buckingham for .79p each–I think I really should plant some more. I have never seen (noticed?) them in this area (Ely Cambs).

By: emmanooka

emmanooka — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 08:32:50 +0000

I have just found a bunch of these trees growing near Buttermere in the lake district and was drawn to the masses of ripe fruit. I collected 3.5 pounds of them and made jam as per a plum jam recipe. Painstaking pulling out all the seeds, but result well worth it, delicious! It was not until I found this site that I was certain that they were edible- but being so similiar in taste to plums, I wasn’t too worried. They seem to have gone unnoticed in this very busy tourist spot. I don’t mind at all that they are largely unknown!!!

By: Lorna Grace Vibert

Lorna Grace Vibert — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:38:07 +0000

Hi, a friend gave me a bagful of the yellow ones this week; I had never heard of them before. We are in Rutland. Apparently there are quite a lot around here and they are also known as Mirabelles.
she had made them into a tart using shortcrust pastry (although the recipe actually calls for puff pastry). After this is baked blind, you put a layer of marzipan on, and then a layer of the Mirabelles which have been stewed with plenty of sugar. Pop back in the oven for about 10 mins. Delicious!
But I didn’t have any marzipan so I just had them stewed with custard. Lovely ….

By: Vic Grubb

Vic Grubb — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:56:54 +0000

I found some trees outside my flat in Taunton, Somerset, UK. After gathering a good bowlful of the red variety I made a Pie with sweetcrust pastry and it was
delicious with a spot of custard. Out walking recently found a tree with the yellow variety, these will be served fresh with some ice cream.