That's interesting. Pluots are genetically plums. They certainly look like plums. But I don't know of any plums that taste as good as the best pluots. But that's just me, my environment, and my taste buds.

Most of the apriums are dead ringers for apricots. The only fruit I have that definitely looks and tastes like a plum x apricot cross is the infamous Flavorella. It's shaped like a plum, has fuzz like an apricot, the bossoms look more apricot, but the taste is like a plum; sweet in center of the flesh but tart at skin and near the seed. Funny thing is it's one of the ones I don't care for. But it is very attactive and has the strongest aroma of any fruit I've smelled.

The Fruitnut

I was on the toilet reading Starks catalog, came across Spring Satin Plumcot bred for the southeast. Google search found an article the breeder, Okie, wrote quoted above. I ordered one yesterday. The link below, Spring 2006 article, "Introgression of Prunus species in Plum" W.R. Okie, USDA.

Here is a link that might be useful: New York Fruit Quarterly

Whoa, Ace, TOO much information for a public forum!!!

Ace:

That is called the reading room. Each one should be equipped with a catalog/magazine rack.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

Uh, getting back to the original topic: I too ordered one, last year. At some point I read some comments about its flavor which sounded like it was good but not particularly great in that category, so I am only holding modest expectations for it. At least it sounds like it sets fruit well, unlike the pluots for us east coast growers.

Scott

Scott, Speaking of setting fruit on Pluots. I just found two flowers on a Flavor King Pluot I planted BR last July. I tried hand pollinating using Superior plum flowers. By next season the Santa Rosa should provide proper cross pollination.

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Ace:

I had Flavor King and a couple other varieties of Pluots, and difficulty of pollination was one of the main reasons I took them out. Very vigorous trees, plenty of blossoms, but little to no fruit set. I hope yours do better.

The plumcot sounds like a different animal, and might be better in this respect. The few pluots that did set in the several years I had mature trees were very attractive to the oriental fruit moth. About in the nectarine class as OFM candy.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA

This year I have a huge fruit set on my pluots, so maybe I will actually get some fruit. Most of them end up falling off but I didn't ever have so many to start with in past years, and hopefully I will have a few that stick it out. I am not planning on thinning at all due to past experience of so many dropping. I have countless pollinators for them, several dozen different japanese plums and apricots bloomed this spring.

Scott

Hi..I have a 'Flavor King Pluot" for about five years. (I have a Santa rosa near by) No fruit, and I've never pruned it. My question is, does the pluot get fruit on first year growth or second year growth? Thanks, Carol

I got fruit the second year on my pluots (Flavor Queen, Dapple Danddy and Flavor Supreme) but then that was with constant hand-pollination from both my Japanese Plums and my apricots. And even then only a couple "took".

Carla in Sac

Carol:

Flavor King blooms and sets fruit on last years wood. I've gotten fruit on nearly all pluots in the 2nd leaf. If your tree is blooming but not setting fruit then it is not getting pollinated. If it is not blooming, then I don't know what's wrong. There are a few pluots that don't bloom much or set much fruit in the 2nd leaf, but Flavor king is not one of those.

Your most likely problem is lack of a suitable pollinator variety or lack of bees.

The Fruitnut