What Makes AU Plums So Different Than Other Plums?
Whether you love plums or have never had them, you should know they’re a delicious addition to your diet. Additionally, plums are full of fiber; therefore, regularly eating them can help stabilize your blood sugar, lower high blood pressure, and improve bone health. While plums are amazing fruits, they’re not always easy to grow in every location. However, their resiliency is what makes AU plums so different than other plums.
They’re Successful in the Southeast
Many plum varieties are difficult to grow in the Southeast due to diseases and early flowering, resulting in inconsistent cropping. As a result, Auburn University wanted to create a series of plum varieties that solved these problems. Therefore, AU plums are different because they thrive in Southeast regions, especially USDA zone 8.
Disease-Resistance
Various plum varieties are prone to many pests and diseases, which can wreak havoc on the tree’s overall health. In fact, many of these diseases can cause damage to the tree’s branches, leaves, and fruit. Because many cultivars suffer from these issues, Auburn University developed a series of varieties that have the best disease-resistant genes in addition to a delicious flavor and beautiful color.
Larger Fruit Yields
Inconsistent fruit yield is one of the most frustrating things about growing fruit trees, but there’s not much you can do about it. Unfortunately, plum trees are likely to produce lower amounts of fruit, even on a larger scale. However, Auburn University faculty and students wanted to make it possible for plum trees to grow larger crops. As a result, AU plum varieties can produce a heavy crop in areas where other cultivars struggle.
AU Plum Trees Are Self-Pollinating
Another thing to consider when it comes to planting fruit trees is pollination. Many fruit trees—including plums—require another variety nearby to produce fruit. Although this isn’t an issue for large-scale farming, it can be a deciding factor for small farmers or even backyard gardeners because it requires more work and maintenance. On the other hand, some fruit tree cultivars are self-pollinating, meaning they don’t need another tree nearby to produce fruit.
AU plum trees are self-pollinating; therefore, they pollinate themselves and still maintain successful crops. However, they’ll produce stronger crops if they have another AU variety nearby.
After learning what makes AU plums so different than other plums, you can buy plum trees online to grow on your property. Although many people don’t think to eat plums in their daily lives, they’re an incredible fruit for cooking, baking, canning, and eating fresh.
