Pluot® and Aprium® interspecific hybrids are complex crosses of plum and apricot. Unlike plumcots, which are simple plum x apricot crosses, Pluot® and Aprium® interspecifics were developed by the Zaigers through intricate hybridizing, requiring several generations of crosses to create these new fruits.

Take a plum and an apricot and mix them together until you get the best of both worlds.

Pluots are smooth skinned, like plums, while Apriums are slightly fuzzy, like apricots, but they have unique flavors and generally higher sugar levels than the standard varieties. The new fruits, which are called interspecifics, are complex hybrids of plum and apricot that are created by making several generations of crosses and selecting for desirable traits such as high sugar content.

Pluot® interspecifics have predominantly plum parentage and smooth skins like plums. With their scant fuzz, Aprium® interspecifics resemble apricots--their 'cot parentage is expressed. The complex, intense flavor of Pluot® and Aprium® is unique to interspecifics, much like a blend of fruit juices where the mixture is an improvement over any of the separate ingredients. Additionally, the sugar content of our interspecifics is much higher than in any standard plum or apricot--yielding fruit of incomparable sweetness. "Interspecific Plum." Interspecific plums are crosses between plums and apricots and sometimes plums and cherries or cherry-plums. Both "Pluots" and "Apriums" are now registered names for these Interspecifics; complex hybrids of two or more fruit species. Pluots have predominantly plum parentage and smooth skins like plums. Apriums resemble apricots, as their apricot parentage is expressed. Cherry-plum is not a registered name, however, it indicates another type of "interspecific" that is a cross between a cherry and a plum, primarily exhibiting plum features. (The original cherry-plum was created by crossing the sandcherry with the Japanese plum in the early 1800's.

One example of a varietal name of cherry-plum is the Opata). There are currently some 15 to 20 known varieties that have been developed with about 9 varieties in commercial production. The principal State of Origin is California, which has approximately 2,500 acres of production. The first variety of the season characteristically matures in late May and the last variety of the season matures in early September, although there are recent reports that indicate that there may be a few varieties that mature as late as October

These delicious new types of fruit will provide new opportunities for the tree fruit grower. Dave Wilson Nursery introduced Flavor Delight Aprium® interspecific and Flavor Supreme and Flavor Queen Pluot® interspecifics to the home garden nursery trade in 1989. The Pluot® interspecifics described on this page, along with the new interspecific Zaiger rootstocks--Citation, Atlas and Viking--represent the most advanced fruit varietal development in the world today.

Flavor Anne - Aprium® interspecific apricot -

Tasty Rich - Aprium® interspecific apricot -

Spring Flavor - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavorosa - Pluot® interspecific - medium-sized fruit with dark purple skin and red flesh; very sweet fruit with very good flavor; moderately vigorous, spreading, precocious tree; extra early blooming pollenizer required; 400 to 500 hour chilling requirement (Patent Pending).

Crimson Heart - Pluot® interspecific -

Royal Treat - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavor Supreme - Pluot® interspecific medium-sized, moderately firm fruit with mottled red over greyish green skin color and red flesh; excellent flavor; ripens in early June; subject to shoulder and blossom end cracking; early blooming pollenizer required; 500 to 600 hour chilling requirement (Patent # 6763)

Early Dapple - Pluot® interspecific -

Dapple Fire - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavor Queen Pluot® interspecific -

Dapple Dandy - Pluot® interspecific - large, firm fruit with distinctive, pale green to yellow, red-spotted skin color and pink to red flesh; ripens in late July and develops good acid to sugar balance with excellent flavor; very productive, spreading tree needs a midseason blooming pollenizer; 400 to 500 hour chilling requirement (Patent # 9524)

Flavor Gold - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavor King - Pluot® interspecific - medium-sized, red fruit ripening in the 2nd week of August; holds well on tree; very sweet with excellent, distinctive flavor; moderately spreading tree; midseason to late blooming pollenizer required; 800 to 900 hour chilling requirement (Patent # 8026)

Flavor Grenade - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavor Gem - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavor Jewel - Pluot® interspecific - Harvest 1st to 2nd week of August. Medium to large-sized fruit. Color: bright reddish-orange over bright yellow. Sweet flavor. 600 hour estimated chilling requirements. Vigorous, upright tree with a late bloom & heart-shaped fruit. Pollenizer required (U.S. Plant Patent # pending)

Flavor Heart - Pluot® interspecific -

Sierra Rose - Pluot® interspecific - Harvest 2nd to 3rd week of August. Large fruit with deep red-to-purple with speckles. Sweet. 400 hour estimated chilling requirement. Vigorous, moderately spreading tree with a mid-season bloom, may require a pollenizer. (U.S. Plant Patent # Pending)

Flavorich - Pluot® interspecific - large, black fruit with orange flesh that ripens in late August; sweet fruit with excellent flavor; moderately spreading tree; midseason to late blooming pollenizer required; 800 to 900 hour chilling requirement (Patent # 8546)

Flavor Treat - Pluot® interspecific -

Black Kat - Pluot® interspecific -

Flavor Fall - Pluot® interspecific - Harvest Date: 4th week of September to 1st week of October Size: 35 to 50 Color: Deep maroon red Flavor: sweet & crisp. Chilling Requirements: N/A

Honey Rich - Aprium® interspecific apricot - Ripens last week of May. Size: 7-10. Color: Bright orange skin with orange flesh. Flavor: Acidic, very sweet. Chilling Requirements: 300 hours. Fruit very firm, hangs well on tree. Skin delicate, tends to discolor when handled. (Patent # 10292) (Zaiger)

 

 

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