Hi, we have inherited a small, trained (along a wall) plum tree which has always produced a few plums. However, for the past two years there are also quite a lot of tiny (bit bigger than a large cherry) perfectly round 'plums' growing on it. Last year they hadn't ripened or even changed much by late autumn. They were just green and rock hard and had stones inside. In the end we cut them off. Can anyone let me know what they are and what's going on with the tree. Is it anything to do with the pruning? or should I say, lack of it..... Thanks. Hom
They sound like cherry plums! I didnt know about them til a fellow forager pointed them out to me. We picked loads, the ripe ones were fine raw but used most to make jam, which came out rather yummy! Use 3/4 sugar to fruit, or equal weight if v sour 🙂
Hi naomij,
Thanks for replying. I've never heard of cherry plums either. Do you know why they would grow on an ordinary plum tree? And when do they eventually ripen, because these ones didn't change at all last year. Hom
Hi, I picked a load last week. They are still yellowy green when ripe 🙂 I think that like cherries, some varieties will be edible when ripe, whereas others will remain sour like 'bird cherries' and the sort you'd cook with. That's been my experience anyway! Here in Kent cherries are ripe now, but you might decide to watch them a bit longer? Do they get much sun?
Or you could boil a few and see what the result is! Good luck 🙂 self-sufficientish or downsizers are good forums for this sort of thing too 🙂