Japanese plum in the suburban area: planting and care

Flowering of gardens in Japan is an event well-known and widely advertised. When he mentions the first thing that comes to mind is sakura. However, there is in the Land of the Rising Sun another decorative and at the same time fruit - bearing tree. This is a Japanese plum. Reviews about it among gardeners - a fairly rare phenomenon, however, like the plant itself, which is considered almost exotic.

What is this fruit?

The second name is Japanese apricot, or mum. The plant is a representative of the family Pink, the genus Plum. Most often this deciduous tall tree (5-7 m) with a greenish-gray smooth bark, less often a shrub. For a year gives a strong gain, shoots of green color. The leaves are ovate with narrow-toothed margins, below, and sometimes above, they are pubescent. The Japanese plum (photo you can see below) blooms very luxuriantly and continuously. The amazing spectacle lasts for 2-2,5 months: it begins with early spring, and fruiting occurs already in July. Flowers are usually sessile, terry or simple, with a strong aroma. They can be white or pink. The fruit is slightly sourish, yellow or greenish in color, the bone from the pulp is poorly separated and has a well-defined pitlike surface.

In the wild, the Japanese plum grows on mountain stony slopes (300-2500 m above sea level) in the northern and central regions of China. It is actively grown in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

Japanese plums in the culture

In their gardens this fruit tree people began to grow since ancient times. In Japan, the plant was presumably brought in the 8th century from China, and now there are about 350 kinds of plums. It is the plum Mooma, not Sakura, that dissolves the very first. The tradition of admiring flowers goes deep into the ages. Particularly famous for the magnificence and beauty of the flowering moomé is the Wakayama Prefecture. The trees are covered with a fragrant white-pink cloud. Flowering there begins in January and lasts until April. But in Europe the plant appeared relatively recently: information about it has been found since 1878. Since then, a large number of decorative forms and garden varieties have been developed.

Use in Cooking

The fruits of Japanese apricot are consumed mainly in processed form, since they have a high acidity in the fresh state. Of these, make famous marinades and pickles. The traditional addition to a portion of cooked rice from the Japanese is umeboshi - sour fruit. Also, the Japanese plum serves as a basis for creating a liqueur, popular in Asian countries - umeşu (pictured).

According to the Eastern calendar, the tree itself is a symbol of the New Year and spring. Therefore, often for the holiday, the Japanese give their friends a small copy of a plum in a pot

Bone growing in summer and autumn

You can do this if you are lucky enough to encounter fresh fragrant tree fruits. The method is fairly simple and does not require complex activities and hassle. Knowing how to grow a Japanese plum from a stone, you will acquire an exotic plant in the house. You can even cultivate it in the garden, though, only in warm regions.

You can plant stones in the ground or in separate pots. The end of July - the beginning of August approaches in the best way. Natural or artificial stratification will be required when germinating in late autumn or early spring, respectively.

If you put a stone immediately after eating the fetus in food, you are not going to, then you have to dry it and keep it until the fall, when the first frosts begin. When the time comes, in the garden, excavate a small trench and fill it with nutrient ground from humus, turf and foliage, sand. Depth of planting is 5 cm. Shoots of Japanese plum give, as a rule, in May of the following year.

Early Spring Planting

In this case we are talking about artificial stratification. The most suitable time is the beginning of April. To prepare the seeds closer to the end of January, put them in containers that have drainage holes, with wet sand. Then remove the pots in the basement or refrigerator, where the temperature does not rise above two degrees. It is necessary to maintain the humidity of the sand. Well, in the spring you can transplant them into soil mixture or open ground.

Plum is Japanese in our country

A real pioneer who introduced the world's garden community with an amazing fruit is Luther Burbank. He did a lot of breeding work and got new hybrids, some of them are popular to this day.

In its primordial form, the Japanese plum in the suburban area in Russia can grow only in its southern regions (Crimea, Caucasus), where warm winters and early spring. But the hybrids produced by breeders have a higher winter hardiness, and their cultivation zone is markedly enlarged. Cultivation is possible both from the bone, and using seedlings.

Japanese plum: planting and care

The tree is characterized by abundant and regular fruit bearing. From the moment when it comes, the oppression of annual growth begins. In this regard, the tree requires an annual cyclic pruning, rejuvenation of the crown.

It is noteworthy that all varieties of Japanese plum are not affected by shark, to a small extent they are prone to sawfly and moth, which undoubtedly favorably distinguishes them among others.

How does the Japanese plum behave on the site? Care for her is supposed to be the same as for her usual kindred. Let us dwell only on the main points.

1. The planting can be carried out both in spring and in autumn. The pit should be prepared 2 weeks before the expected date. Its size should be 60 * 60 * 60 cm, the addition of humus is required.
2. The circumferential circle must necessarily be walled up after planting and watering using peat or compost.
3. Fertilizers (organic and mineral) are introduced into the tree trunk, depending on the needs of the plant. Nitrogen preparations are needed in the spring. They contribute to the growth and recruitment of green mass. In the second half of the vegetation period, it is recommended to apply phosphoric and nitrogen-potassium fertilizers, and in autumn - organic (humus and compost).
4. Root shoots should be removed within a radius of 3 m from the main tree.
5. Some varieties require an event such as thinning fruits. When there are too many ovaries, they must be partially removed before they start to fill up. This will improve the quality of the remaining crop and preserve the strength of the tree for the next year.
6. Japanese plums also need pruning, it is recommended to spend it in the spring or in the beginning of summer, when there are no sharp changes in temperature during the day. This will save the tree from disease.
7. A good harvest is guaranteed by planting several sorts of plums with different maturation periods of fruits.
8. Remove the plums in a slightly immature state and then they last much longer.

Varieties of Japanese plum

1. Alyonushka is the most famous variety. Appearance is dramatically different from the usual plum European. The tree grows medium-high and has a thick spherical crown. The weight of the fruit is up to 40 g, they have a pink color and a short peduncle. The flesh is sweet and juicy, it does not separate from the stone. The variety has a high frost resistance.
2. Sparse - perhaps, the only variety that can be met and grown even in the Urals. The main advantage is a weak crown and a quick entry into the fruiting period. The fruits are bright red, by weight smaller - only about 20 g.
3. Shirou (pictured above). He was bred in the late 19th century by L. Burbank. The tree grows tall and has a pyramidal crown. Fruits weighing 25 g are lemon-colored and soft juicy pulp with veins. It is a frost-resistant hybrid Japanese plum. "How to grow a house such a miracle?" - many will ask. Everything is simple: caring for her is the same as for ordinary, zoned species.
4. Red heart (pictured below). The name is associated with the shape of the fruit. They are large (up to 60 g), dark red color, juicy, with a pleasant dessert taste. The tree is tall with a sprawling crown.

When grown in our gardens, the Japanese plum deserves much more attention. The plant has a number of positive qualities, among which high resistance to diseases, fruiting fruits (ripped green, they ripen without problems at home, without losing taste), unpretentiousness in care.