Plum Elephant Heart
Description
Elephant Heart Plum (Prunus salicina ‘Elephant Heart’)
The Elephant Heart Plum is a striking variety of Japanese plum known for its large, heart-shaped fruits. These plums have a deep reddish-purple skin and richly flavored, blood-red flesh. They are sweet, juicy, and firm, making them excellent for fresh eating, canning, and freezing.
Appearance: The tree grows up to 18-20 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide with a narrow, upright habit. It has smooth, grey bark and bright green, serrated leaves. In spring, it blooms with fragrant white flowers, followed by the distinctive oblong fruits.
Fruit: The plums are large, typically 4-5 cm in diameter, with a unique heart-like shape. The skin is dark reddish-purple, and the flesh inside is vibrant red, juicy, and sweet with a hint of tartness.
Pollination: The Elephant Heart Plum is self-pollinating but benefits from having another plum variety nearby to enhance fruit production.
Harvest: The plums are usually ready for harvest in late summer, around September, extending the plum season.