Plum, "Victoria" Fruit Tree

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The Plum 'Victoria' (Prunus domestica 'Victoria') is arguably the most famous and popular plum tree, cherished for its reliability and dual-purpose fruit. 

Essential Characteristics 🌳

• Fruit: Large, oval plums with skin that ripens from a lovely pink-blush to a mottled, deep reddish-purple. The flesh is golden-yellow, sweet, juicy, and semi-freestone (clings slightly to the stone). 

• Use: Excellent dual-purpose plum, perfect for eating fresh (dessert) when fully ripe, and widely regarded as the best for cooking (jam, pies, crumbles). 🥧

• Flowering: Abundant, fragrant, white blossoms in mid-spring. The bloom is notably resilient to spring frosts. 🤍

• Yield: A famously heavy and reliable cropper, often leading to overcropping which can cause branches to break—fruit thinning is often necessary.

• Pollination: Self-fertile (can produce fruit alone), but yields are often heavier with a pollinator.

Growing Information 🌱

• Size: Varies significantly based on rootstock. Standard trees can reach 4–6 meters (15–20 feet) tall and wide. Dwarf rootstocks keep it much smaller (2.5–3.5 meters), ideal for small gardens or containers.

• Sunlight ☀️ and a sheltered spot to ensure maximum fruit production and sweetness. 

• Soil: Prefers rich, fertile, and well-drained soil. It is adaptable but dislikes overly wet or waterlogged conditions.

• Pruning: Crucially, prune only in mid-spring to mid-summer (when the tree is in leaf). Never prune in winter, as this variety is highly susceptible to the fungal disease Silver Leaf 💀 which enters through open wounds in cold, damp weather!!

• Hardiness: Generally very hardy, but its tendency to overcrop can make the brittle wood vulnerable to breakage and subsequent disease infection.

• Harvest: Fruit ripens in late August to early September. Pick when slightly firm for cooking, or leave a little longer for a darker skin and sweeter flavor for dessert eating.