Kuban Comet is self-fertile, Superior is not, so if you do get fruit this year, you could assume you've got Comet, though there's always a chance that one of your neighbors has a plum tree. Also, I believe Raintree doesn't offer Kuban Comet this year, seems like they were sold out of quite a few things this season. So you may not have much of a choice here.

Thanks, I didn't know Kuban Comet was self-fertile. I'll have to see if I get any fruit. Unfortunately, you're right in that if it was Kuban Comet I probably won't be able to replace it. Right now I'm more worried that I'll end up with two Superiors and won't get any fruit.

I've really got to start keeping better records of where I plant things.

Superior has VERY lateral branches. I have a Superior i'm looking at out the window. If you want i could take a pic of it or its leaves?

Thanks Frank. My plum doesn't really have much for branches yet. I think what I'll do is take a leaf from it with me to the nursery and see if it looks the same as their Superior. And I'll assume if I don't get any plums on the tree that it is Superior and I'll probably buy a Mount Royal for pollination.

One issue with that. There are wild plums everywhere in this state, especially along highways/interstates it seems. I'm in La Crosse area. I have also seen them wild up by Eau Claire while scouting last fall. They were very sweet at first, but were astringent after. I guess if one is close to you, that will work for pollination.

Hi Athen,

Since there are plenty of wild plums where you live. you could collect them in early spring while they are still dorment and use them as a rootstock. You can graft many varieties of plums on it. This spring I grafted a bing cherry, Stella cherry and Plums and pluot on wild plums trees on my propery and it all took. They all leafed out nicely. You can contact me next febuary if you need some plum scion wood.

Tony

I figured if I got plums, that even if it was Superior that I wouldn't need to worry so much about pollination and could get a second Superior without worries. I'd really rather find a BlackIce Plum but I'm not having much luck. And I if I don't get plums this year, then I need something to provide pollen since that little tree bloomed it's heart out and I'd love to have it be productive early.

I haven't really noticed any wild plums around Madison. And I'd love to learn grafting but it is too late - I'm very close to being out of room.

As Frank mentioned, Superior has a pretty unusual growth habit. The branches are almost weeping in character with short spurs and almost no side branches. There is also a lot of blind wood. This all makes for a very open, weeping canopy. I don't have any other plums that look like this.

I have good news. Which ever plum I have seems to have set a bunch of baby plums. And I managed to find a Black Ice Plum to solve my pollination issues and got a second Superior Plum. So I'll know for sure later this summer when I'll hopefully have some ripe plums as to which I have, and next year I'll have plenty of pollen to go around.

The tree does look kind of weepy but there are only two tiny branches so it's hard to be sure. I don't have the second Superior yet but I'll compare leaves when I get it.

I have Kuban Comet it is an asian variety based on the blooms this year(1st). Raintree had it listed with the European plums and we figured here out about a year ago it wasn't european based on the description. KC is a Russian bred Myrobalan salacina cross that is very early ripening.

Kuban Comet is not an asian plum nor is it European.. It's a cross of Asian and cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera)

I don't have Superior, this one is late ripening, think not really suited for my climate in most years.

Kuban Comet from Aug. 11 ...a average plum, nothing special but for the earliest to ripen it is a welcome plum.