Plum Tree, flowers but no fruit

Discussion in 'Fruit and Nut Trees' started by Ian McCracken, Feb 19, 2005.

  1. Hello BC:
    I have been searching the web for "fruit tree help"and I believe this is the best forum I have come across. I have searched the forum but cannot find a query which matches my problem. I am hoping you can help me even though I am in the US.

    I have two plum trees in a sunny area in San Francisco. One was in the garden already. It produces hundreds of small plums which are not the best easting but make good jam. I need your help with a Santa Rosa plum tree which I planted myself about 5 years ago. It flowers reliably with almost as many flowers as the "native". However, only about half or less, of the flowers result in green buds (sorry I do not know the technical term, but I mean the start of the plum). Within a week however, nearly all the green buds, which are about 5mm - 10mm diameter, fall off or just dissapear. (I cannot see them on the ground). The result is that there are only a dozen buds which mature and grow to be become fruit.

    On the native plum tree, sorry I don't know the variety, nearly all the fowers become buds and these quickly grow to become plums.

    The tree appears very healthy. Nice healthy green leaves. Good growth. I should be getting cross pollination from the native. I see bees on the tree. I prune a little in the winter. I fertilize, but I do not use a dormant spray. But I do not use one on the native either, which produces hundreds of fruit.

    Could I have an "infertile" tree? Is an insect or fungus attacking the early fruit? (I see no evidence of that) Do I need to use the dormant spray (even though I don't use one on the healthy native)?

    We also have a peach tree which produces a fantastic amount of fruit each year. I pay no more or less attention to this than to the plum tree. I use the same water/feed schedule and each gets the same amount of sun. As does the native plum tree.

    Any advise will be very welcome.
    Thank you,
    Ian
     
  2. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Hi Ian:

    Why not join the UBC forums?

    More than likely what you are calling a native
    Plum is more apt to be a flowering Plum. We
    have several types here in California that produce
    an abundance of canning quality Plums as well
    as fresh eating but they are just a little tart for
    eating and do not get the sweetness or the size
    of fruit, nor some of the exotic flavors of the
    fruiting Plums.

    I would need to know if your Santa Rosa is an
    Early Santa Rosa, Late Santa Rosa or was just
    a Santa Rosa on the label. All forms of Santa
    Rosa are self fruitful meaning they can produce
    fruit without any other Plums around. They
    will have better fruit set if there is another
    fruiting Plum nearby.

    A lot of times we will get good bud set and then
    much of the infantile fruit is sloughed off. Plums
    require more water during the Winter and when
    they are in bloom than a Peach does. I've seen
    every single Plum that was pollinated fall off the
    tree before when the tree did not get adequate
    deep watering when the tree was in bloom. Also,
    a dormant spray is rather important for a fruiting
    Plum whereas for a flowering Plum a dormant
    spray is not necessary.

    It may be good to know where you bought your
    tree as many times what homeowners thought
    they were buying as being a Santa Rosa Plum
    was not a Santa Rosa at all. It could be that you
    have a Plum that requires a pollinizer, another
    Plum to help it along to better promote fruit set.

    Jim
     
  3. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Existing plum probably cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) or another kind not closely related to 'Santa Rosa', unsuitable for cross pollination.
     
  4. mr.shep

    mr.shep Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
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    Existing plum probably cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera)

    For many years cities and municipalities used Prunus blireiana,
    Prunus cerasifera 'Atropurpurea' x Prunus mume a lot for
    street trees and parks back in the mid to late 70's through the
    mid 90's. People loved the trees in bloom and the color of
    the trees for most of the year but some people objected to the
    fruit set and the clean up afterwards which led to some cities
    to remove some of the trees.

    Even back in the early 60's Atropurpurea were planted in
    select areas usually aligned as frontal borders for properties.
    I know of an old wholesale growing nursery, once very well
    known, that used Atropurpureas for their rootstock for their
    fruiting Plums back in the early to mid 60's . Myrobalan,
    Prunus cerasifera is still used quite a bit as rootstock for
    commercial Plum production varieties here but we have not
    seen it per say available for sale in local retail nurseries for
    many years. People seem to prefer the purple-red leaves
    rather than the green leaves. Also, the fruit for preserves
    is far better from the red leafed trees than the green anyway,
    at least to some of us. Fruit from the old Atropupureas is
    better quality for preserves and fresh eating than the
    Blireianas are also.

    Jim
     
  5. ianmccracken

    ianmccracken Member

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    Location:
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    Cross Pollination

    Thanks very much for the detailed replies Jim and Ron. I will try your tips. I did water the tree once a week last year, about 1 gal per week, when it flowered but I will do that more often this year. The tree is about 12' tall and the spread is about 6'.

    I have also applied a dormant spray which I did not do last year.

    I have searched for the label to the tree but I cannot find it. I do believe I may not be getting the cross pollination. I did buy it at Home Depot so it may not be a Santa Rosa!

    Is there any alternative to planting another plum tree for the cross pollination? I don't really have room for another tree.

    Thanks again,

    Ian

    BTW: I have joined the forum.
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Grafting branches of other varieties onto existing tree. Fruit hobbyists do this, otherwise they'd be buying and planting a whole additional tree every time they wanted to try a new kind.
     

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