While checking out a couple's drainage situation today, I noticed the flower buds getting ready to pop on what looked like a plum. They said it was a Pluot tree. New one to me. Anyone ever grown one of the 3 types? Eaten any? How's the flavor? Would you say they are practical varieties?
I've eaten a few Plumcot and Pluot from my neighborhood WholeFoods Mkt. WFM is not the greatest at managing ripeness in their produce dept. Still, some of the fruits were tasty with good sugar and great looking flesh. Others were tart, mealy and unpleasant. None of the them were inexpensive. I'd be into growing one if I had the space and could thwart the birds and squirrels.
Well, I've never seen the trees for sale yet here in Victoria, but I have had pluots from our largest local foodstore chain, Thrifty's. I think there'll really good, tasting and looking most like a plum, but firmer and, therefore bruising less easily. And as still bit of a specialty item, a little pricey.
Has anyone in Canada seen Puot trees for sale yet? I have been searching for an outlet for the last 3 years,nada. I may have to check with Ag Canada to see how many hoops that I may have to jump through to import from the U.S.
We have friends with a Flavour Supreme pluot. When ripe I've never had anything that compares with them for flavour, sweetness, and juiciness. The closest location I'm aware of that sells them is a nursery in Washington - www.burntridgenursery.com/products.asp?dept=17 although they don't ship to Canada as far as I know.
I have 4 varieties of Pluot: Flavor King, Flavor Queen, Flavor Grenade, and Emerald Drop. All of the Pluots were developed by Floyd Zaiger, a fruit geneticist in Modesto, and generally are marketed by the Dave Wilson Nursery in Hickman, CA. If you go to their website (www.davewilson.com) you will find a list of nurseries that carry their trees for home gardening. The Dave Wilson nursery is primarily a wholesale tree nursery that produces orchard stock. As an aside, I am a grandson of the founder of the nursery, and I bear his name. At the Dave Wilson Nursery website, you will find a section for growing fruit trees at home. There are a number of Youtube videos you will find interesting.