Cherry plum and plum: what is the difference

Cherry plum and plum are two very similar crops, which are very easy to confuse. The main differences between cherry plum and plum: comparison of the appearance of trees and fruits, taste, early maturity, winter hardiness and unpretentiousness. You can find all this information in this article.

The main differences between cherry plum and plum

Cherry plum and plum in general are two related cultures, but at the same time they belong to completely different species. They are common in the middle lane, where all the most suitable and comfortable climatic conditions have been created for them. When choosing between cherry plum or plum, the gardener first of all analyzes their properties, advantages, qualities, taste characteristics, because this is very important. Everyone wants to get a high-quality, abundant and healthy harvest, so comparison is an essential element.

As we have already mentioned, these cultures have many similarities, but at the same time they belong to different types of plants. The differences in them are literally at the genetic level, so it is extremely important to talk about this. But first, we still need to list the properties that often make gardeners not particularly think about choosing from a rational point of view:

- the shape of the fruits is the same - round, the sizes are approximately the same (they can differ from each other in size only if they belong to different varieties);

- the leaves of both shrubs are elongated, typical green;

- the appearance of flowers in both cherry plum and plum is generally the same;

- the fruits contain a high content of extremely useful vitamins and microelements, which play an important role in the human body;

- both cherry plum and plum grow very well in illuminated areas, as well as on fertile soils, usually neutral;

- as a rule, most of the varieties of both those and other plants need pollination, fruiting is stretched, which makes it possible to harvest the fruits not in one, but in several stages at once, and this is quite beneficial for the gardeners themselves.

We also highlight several features. Both cherry plum and plum are excellent honey plants that are very beneficial for bees. The plant care scheme is the same, they need approximately the same watering, feeding and periodic pruning for very different purposes. Plants can also reproduce either by cuttings, or through overgrowth, which also makes them very similar to each other.

The fruits of both cherry plums and plums are used to prepare a very large number of dishes and preparations. As a rule, these include preserves and jams, confiture and compote, marshmallow, jelly, syrup. Many desserts are prepared using cherry plums or plums. Juice and wine are drinks that can also be prepared not only from traditional grapes, but also from such unusual ingredients. The taste is very bright, the fruits have many useful properties, so cherry plums and plums are frequent guests on personal plots.

But still, as we have already emphasized, there are some differences between cultures, which are deeply rooted at the genetic level. They are representatives of the Rose family, which also includes several stone and pome fruits, berry crops. These are cherries and homemade plums, peaches and apricots, almonds. Plum can include more than two hundred species, which are mainly distributed in the temperate climatic zone.

As for cherry plum, this is the original form of a common home plum. The culture is also known to many gardeners under its other name - cherry plum. Unlike cherry plum, plum is less resistant to attacks from pests, as well as bacteria and diseases.Planting crops such as tomatoes or peppers near the plum is highly discouraged, since such a neighborhood can lead to a very rapid spread of insects and some fungal diseases, which is extremely dangerous for plums. As for diseases, most often the plum is attacked by rust, spotting, fruit rot, gray rot and gum decay.

Cherry plum, in turn, is capable of producing single white or pinkish flowers, large enough. The culture is very adapted to frosts, tolerates them calmly, especially spring frosts, when after winter the weather has not yet completely stabilized. The cherry plum tree can bloom very profusely, and this is also reflected in the abundance of the harvest. Cherry plum is usually grown not in order to collect its fruits, but rather for decorative purposes.

Note also that the culture does not have self-fertile varieties, so they are usually planted in groups so that they pollinate from each other and, accordingly, still bear fruit. In terms of properties, as we have already noted, the fruits of the cherry plum are somewhat similar to the fruits of the plum. Unlike cherry plum, some varieties of plum are self-fertile or partially self-fertile, so they do not always need to be planted in the vicinity of the corresponding plants and crops in order to get a certain amount of harvest as a result.

Taste qualities of plum and cherry plum

Of course, many gardeners are wondering what is more delicious - cherry plum or plum. As a rule, the size of the fruits, their number, taste and external properties entirely depend on which variety they belong to. Usually homemade plums produce fruits that can weigh up to 50 grams. Large varieties give fruits weighing 70 grams, and this, you see, is very large fruits.

Plum usually gives fruits of different colors: purple, light green or yellow, red or dark blue, again, it all depends on the type of plum. There is usually a waxy coating on the skin, which can be removed by rinsing the drain more thoroughly with water. The plum pits are flattened, pointed towards the edges, easily detached from the pulp if the plum has reached full ripeness and is ready to be eaten fresh.

Cherry plum fruits are much smaller - the maximum weight of one fruit is about 35 grams. Most often these are fruits of a round and flattened shape, when ripe they can acquire a pink, red or purple, less often a yellow tint. Again, these are the features of the variety that the gardener grows on his site. The seed does not separate from the pulp, even if the fruit is fully ripe and ready to eat.

Taste qualities of fruits and cherry plums, and plums completely depend on the variety. Cherry plum has a sugar content of about 14%, so it tastes more sweet and sour than sweet. In plums, sugar can vary from 9% to 17%, the pulp of the plum is more pleasant, sweet, therefore, it is more often consumed fresh than cherry plum. The calorie content of plum is slightly lower than the calorie content of cherry plum, although the content of other substances is approximately at the same level. Unlike plums, cherry plum also contains starch, a greater amount of organic acids and potassium, therefore, in terms of useful properties, cherry plum is undoubtedly the leader here.

The fruits also differ from each other in terms of shelf life. For example, a plum can be stored for four weeks, after which the fruits begin to gradually stale, foulbrood appears, which is a sign that the fruits should either be processed faster or discarded altogether. Cherry plum is more loyal to transportation over long distances, can ripen after the fruits have been harvested, and is stored in favorable conditions for more than three months.

Both cherry plum and plum are used to prepare sauces for fish and meat dishes, as well as for poultry dishes.In order to get candied fruits or dried fruits, it is nevertheless necessary to use plum for this than cherry plum, since it contains more water, which will prevent successful drying and separation of seeds from pulp, which will cause a lot of trouble for the gardener himself.

Thus, both cherry plum and plum today are becoming crops that are very similar to each other, and are popular for growing on plots. It is important to remember that cherry plum is most often grown in warmer regions, and plums take root faster in cooler climates. The resistance of plants to external factors depends entirely on the variety that the gardener has chosen for planting.

Cherry plum, after planting a seedling, very quickly adapts to the environment, it is better to purchase materials for planting in nurseries and from professional gardeners, since in nurseries the plant is grown taking into account its adaptability to a particular region, and this is extremely important. The zoned seedlings then grow stronger, stronger, fruiting also becomes a more guaranteed fact.

Plum has low immunity, so it must be constantly processed so that diseases and parasites do not destroy the shrub. For the prevention of diseases, special attention is paid to caring for the tree, basically removing root shoots, digging up the soil.

Both cultures are very positive about watering and feeding. Under the right conditions, fruiting will not be long in coming, the harvest will be plentiful and rich and, most importantly, tasty. As we have already noted, both cherry plum and plum have very similar characteristics in general, but there are still differences that should be taken into account when choosing a culture, when planting it further and when caring for it. Not all problems can be solved only with a successful variety - it is extremely important to be attentive to the plant, to its features and initial characteristics.