Plum pollination

Discussion in 'Fruit and Nut Trees' started by Bob Dunn, May 4, 2021.

  1. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    I have a Pembina plum and either a Brookred or Brookgold (lost the tag). They both bloom profusely at the same time, but neither has produced a fruit in two years. I thought I might try a Mount Royal as a pollinator (at least I’ll get fruit from it, as it’s self fertile). Do you think it will pollinate the other two?
    I know that plums are notoriously hard to pollinate.
    Thanks,
    Bob

    I thought that I had made a follow up request here for a Canada Plum branch, that I could graft onto one of these plums, but I guess that it didn’t go through. I have a very small Canada Plum, but it’s too small to cut a branch from.
    I did buy a Mount Royal Plum, but it won’t bloom in sync with the others this year.
    To ask again, if anyone within 100 miles of Calgary would be willing to provide me with a small Canada Plum stem, I would be forever grateful. I’ll come pick it up.
    Thanks,
    Bob
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2021
  2. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    I am not on the prairies however I was curious about your specs for Canada Plum

    And I have nothing helpful to offer in terms of branch or plant

    —-

    That said - I learned today - it’s native ?

    I presume so - I grew up reading those classic Laura Ingalls Wilder books - including one titled « on the banks of Plum Creek » which was somewhere in the Dakotas on the US version of prairies

    I am used to saskatoons etc in Okanagan BC

    I wonder if you have space to plant a full tree?

    This is a quick google
    Canada plum - Prunus nigra - The best plum pollinator - The Hardy Fruit Trees Nursery
     
  3. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    I have space for a tree. The only Canada Plums available around here are little twigs, one of which I have. This will be its third year, but still hasn’t produced a blossom yet, and the branches are too small for me to harvest a twig for grafting. I’ll look at your link after I send this (just noticed it).
    I bought a 1-year-old tree about 10”-12”, but it’s been very slow to grow.
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2021
  4. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    There probably won't be any more scionwood exchanges until after the pandemic but perhaps someone associated with the DBG Fruit Growers Group can offer some leads.

    The site has a bulletin (2-17) on plum pollination which you may find interesting: Educational. There's also this followup discussion of the article: Plum Pollination.
     
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  5. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    Good morning,
    Thanks for this very valuable reference. I have connected with the Calgary equivalent of the Edmonton DBG Fruit Growers Group. I’ll let everyone know how it works out. Calgary Fruit Growers
     
  6. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    From post #5 of the followup discussion:
    If that is the case, one might try freezing the trees: Italy's sparkling apple trees are frozen to survive.
     
  7. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    Follow up to #6: The Calgary group is active but observing social distancing by not having gatherings. Connect with them on their Facebook group.
     
  8. PaulD

    PaulD New Member

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    Bob, Did you get any luck with a canadian plum branch?
     
  9. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    No. Do you know about the Calgary group mentioned in this thread?
     
  10. PaulD

    PaulD New Member

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    I don't know about that group.
    I live in Calgary NW
    I have planted a Pembina and brook red, they blossom at the same time but no luck with fruits.
    So these hybrids are not going to pollinate each other, that is for sure.
    I have planted a western sand cherry earlier : It blossoms late, and any way it died last year.
    Last summer I have planted a nanking cherry, choke cherry and western sand cherry (yes, again) near to these plum trees. I hope one of them will blossom at the same time and pollinate these plum trees. All those cherry shrubs are native variety. I will keep you posted about the outcome
     
  11. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    Pretty much a carbon copy of my situation. I rediscovered the link to the Calgary group and sent them an email but haven’t heard back. Their main site is on Facebook, but I don’t have an account. Here’s the link in case you want to follow on. Calgary Fruit Growers Please let me know what happens.
    Bob
     
  12. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    I planted what I thought (hoped) was a Canada Plum twig four or five years ago. It’s about 2.5’ tall now, and finally produced a few flowers this spring that look like plum blossoms. Let’s see if I get any pollination on my two other plums this year (Pembina and either Brookgold or Brookred).
     
  13. Josephlloydsmith

    Josephlloydsmith New Member

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    Did you get any plums on your trees with the Canadian plum? I have a Brookred and Pembina in my yard and I planted a Nanking cherry with a princess Kay (Supposedly prunus nigra) . They are over 12 feet tall and 7 years old. I have only ever gotten one plum off the Pembina. I would really like to find a true prunus nigra or prunus americana and see if it would work.
     
  14. PaulD

    PaulD New Member

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    Is your Canadian plum big enough for me to get a small branch.. I live in Calgary
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 30, 2022
  15. Josephlloydsmith

    Josephlloydsmith New Member

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    So I did some research , and I think I may have found a pollinator for the Pembina and Brookred. I am going to try a Toka plumb this year. I am fairly sure you can buy these commonly around the nursery's near Red deer. This information I found in this stone fruit research book from. 1951 show the Toka plum as a super pollinator for hybrids.
     

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  16. Bob Dunn

    Bob Dunn Active Member

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    No plums this year. Heavy snow and killer frost just as they bloomed. My little shrub, which I’m still not sure is a Canada Plum, is too small to yield up a branch. Try these folks: Calgary Fruit Growers They share scions. They are mostly active on their Facebook page. I’ve not visited them there because I don’t have Facebook.
    Good luck!
    Bob
     
  17. PaulD

    PaulD New Member

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    Here is what I know..hybrid plums won't pollinate Pembina or brookered. You needs native plum or native cherry
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 1, 2022
  18. sarvat lone

    sarvat lone New Member

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    Hi Paul
    Any updates regarding plum. Does your Nanking cherry able to pollinate your brookgold plum?
     
  19. PaulD

    PaulD New Member

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    This year was odd (2022), first time no blossom for both my Pembina and brook red plums..so need to wait till next spring
     
  20. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Unless they attempted to bloom this year and the effort was disrupted by frosts or birds no flowers at all on plants of orchard fruit varieties that have been blooming previously is highly abnormal - correctly identified stock supplied with cultivar names will be clones having the sexual maturity of parental material. So that flowering is often seen even on quite small specimens.
     
  21. PaulD

    PaulD New Member

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    I think some starange weather patterns could be the reason.. same thing happened to my pear trees..
    On a different note, if you are looking for native Canadian or American plums as pollinators, some nurseries in Edmonton are selling them..I may buy one next year
     

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