Flavor King Pluot fruit

[Rajun Gardener]

Has anyone seen or heard about them? It's a hybrid cross of plum and apricot.

I found some at the local store and bought two to try. I just ate one and it's juicy and delicious. It could use a few more days ripening on the counter but overall I like the taste. It's the color of a plum but the outside portion of the fruit is purple like a plum then fades to a yellow center.

Holy Cow, the price is $89.95 a tree. I think I'm gonna try to grow out the seeds and see what it produces.

[Worth1]

I used to eat them every time they showed up in the spike room where I worked.

[Whwoz]

They have been around here for over 25 years, although only in the markets in any sort of volume for probably 5 or so. The first varieties that came out were something of a novelty and did not produce overly well, later ones seem to be setting better.

Worth trying from seed, although I would not expect them to come true to type as they require cross pollination from another variety.

You may find that the price is due to them being under Plant Variety Rights and the production of them is licensed with the owner of the license requiring payment of a hefty fee.

[imp]

Have had them about for 10 or more years up here in north Texas, mainly out of orchards in California. Mostly good, but as with much of the tree fruit, picked too early so it ships with less damages. When tree ripened, they are some firm, but will run down your chin like a good peach or apricot would.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

...
Holy Cow, the price is $89.95 a tree. I think I'm gonna try to grow out the seeds and see what it produces.

Only $55 per tree, with 4 varieties grafted onto it

https://raintreenursery.com/fruit-tr...citation-c3604

or $25 for Flavor King
https://www.groworganic.com/pluot-fl...emi-dwarf.html

(Not recommending, just googling.)

I've been eating pluots for years. The best ones I ever had were at a community garden. Most of the garden was donated to food banks, including the fruit trees, but they covered the cost of water by renting out a dozen plots. I'd been composting the damaged fruit that fell near my garden until one of my fellow gardeners told me she cut off the bad parts and ate the rest. These were fully tree ripened, luscious and sweet and multidimensional (not just sweet). Really spectacular.

I've also had them at farmers' markets. Though a few pluots grow in my neighborhood, I preferred peaches this summer.

[Rajun Gardener]

Thanks for those links!! I looked at the cheaper trees and almost bought some but I'm holding off for now.

I stopped by a different store today and they had tree ripened pluots both yellow and red in the cooler section so I bought some more to try. I asked the produce guy about marking down the old fruit and he went through the box and sold me 6 of them for $2. SCORE!!! Since they've been in the cooler already it'll save time starting them.

The yellow pluot was totally different than the red. The flesh was firm like a ripe pear and it wasn't nearly as sweet or juicy as the red one but it had good flavor. It was totally ripe and soft but still firm. I'm guessing it leans more to the apricot side of the gene pool, I can't say because I haven't eaten a fresh apricot.

So the fun begins, I'll have about a dozen seeds to play with if I don't smash them cracking the pit.

[Worth1]

You shouldn't have to crack the hull just plant the seed.

[Rajun Gardener]

It takes forever if I don't crack the hull, you have to wait till it degrades enough before the seed starts germinating from the research I did(YouTube). It worked great on the nectarine I started, it started sprouting in 1 week in the fridge using the paper towel/ziplock method.

[Whwoz]

looking forward to hearing what you get out of these in a few years time. Might have to try that method myself.

[Rajun Gardener]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

It takes forever if I don't crack the hull, you have to wait till it degrades enough before the seed starts germinating from the research I did(YouTube). It worked great on the nectarine I started, it started sprouting in 1 week in the fridge using the paper towel/ziplock method.

I wanted to correct that statement. It was 2 weeks in the fridge and it was a nectarine seed. I don't think the fruit makes a difference since they're all stone fruit.

I cracked open 6 of the oldest pluots for the seed and some look shriveled up and a few look like the root is stating to grow out already. I have them on top the fridge and I'll keep tabs on what's happening every few days.

The easiest way I found to crack the pit open without damaging the seed is to use vise-grips set just a 1/2 turn tighter than the pit itself.

[Whwoz]

Looks to be quite an effective extraction method Rajun. If you do succeed with the Pluots, may I suggest that you look at getting some plum rootstock in and grafting your seedlings onto it. Has been shown to speed up fruiting of seedlings in comparison to leaving the plants grow on by themselves.

[Rajun Gardener]

Thanks, I thought about grafting a few different varieties to one tree. I think I'll buy a plum tree from a nursery already grafted and growing then experiment, of course this will be next year at the earliest.

[Worth1]

When I was a kid and on up into adulthood I would crack the prune pits with my teeth and eat the seed out of them.
Drove my mom and wife nuts.

But back to the point I have used a bench vise to crack these seeds.
The small V slots for round stock in the jaws works great and very controllable.

[Rajun Gardener]

It's been 3 weeks and finally one seed is sprouting. I'll let it go another week before transplanting.

[Tonio]

These guys are 3 years old from bare root planting.
Emerald drop & Dapple Dandy on Myro rootstock ; Flavor grenade on citation root stock. All of them are for low freeze point.

Actually got some fruit last year, hopefully get some this year- they have been blooming for about 2 weeks now.

Pluot jam is yuuuummy