Cherry plum and plum: what are the differences?
Novice gardeners and not only often cannot distinguish between plum and cherry plum, because both have many varieties and are a little similar to each other. Plum is a genus of plants that includes more than 100 species, and the cherry plum itself is one of them. Thus, cherry plum is one of the varieties of plum and is included in this concept.
Most often, a plum is meant a specific type, namely homemade plum, most varieties of which are obtained by crossing blackthorn and cherry plum.
In order to understand the difference between cherry plum and plum, you need to pay attention to the following factors:
- the appearance of the tree;
- fruit characteristics;
- features of fruiting.
Cherry plum is more resistant than plum, it takes root more easily, is not demanding on the soil and is less sick.
External differences
Home plum mainly grows as a tree, which can be up to 8 meters high, although in the northern region there are also tall, about 4 meters, multi-stemmed shrubs. In cherry plum, the height of the tree is sometimes up to 12 meters, while the crown is spreading.
The deciduous plate near the plum is larger and denser, with fine wrinkles, slightly elongated and covered with a light downy down. Leaves cherry plums on average, they are 4 cm long and in the shape of a wide oval, without pubescence, with a slight sheen and are similar to birch.
Taste and appearance of fruits
Both plum and cherry plum, depending on the specific variety, can have different fruit sizes. Basically, plum fruits are larger than cherry plums, at home they reach 70 g, although there are small-fruited varieties.
The yellow color of the fruit is characteristic of both the first and the second species, but only a plum can have different shades of blue with a matte skin. Cherry plum is usually yellow-green or reddish, covered with a bright skin.
The taste of plum is sweeter and juicier, with dense pulp, while cherry plum is characterized by sourness and a slightly watery pulp structure.
Ripening of the crop
Cherry plum begins to bear fruit literally the next year, while the fruits ripen at the end of summer. Plum will have to wait another year or two, but some varieties can be harvested in June.
Plum tolerates frosty winters worse and is more often susceptible to various diseases, which negatively affects the harvest. Cherry plum is more stable in this regard.