Plums

General Information: Delicious, fleshy and succulent, plum varieties range from sweet tasting to quite tart, but always with that distinctive, pleasing aroma. The flesh itself comes in a wide variety of colours including green/yellow, crimson and creamy yellow. Often a dusty white coating is found on plums. This is not any sort of spray residue but created by the plum to help prevent attack by small insects. Historically it is believed plums were one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. When plums are dried they are called prunes.

Growing Conditions: In common with summer stone fruit, plums thrive in the Central Otago climate of cold winters needed for flowers to develop into fruit and then over summer, prior to picking from mid-February, warm days and cool nights for fruit flavour to develop.

Food Values: Plums are rich in dietary fibre, helping to create a healthy digestive system. Plums are enriched with minerals like potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and phosphorus. Other minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc are also present in small quantities. Good amounts of vitamin C, K, and A are present in plums along with trace elements, vitamin E, B6 and folate.

Fortune (Mid February)
Large shiny yellow fleshed fruit. Sweet and juicy to eat (may need ripening before eating).

Black Doris (Early March)
Small black fleshed fruit. Best for jam and preserving also great eating.

Greengage (Mid February)
A traditional English fruit, green in appearance with an occasional red blush and a green/yellowish flesh. It is not only tasty fresh but also great for jam and preserving.

Omega (Mid March)
Medium dark fleshed fruit. Heritage plum with intense flavours. Great for eating and preserving.