Home plum (Prunus)
Appearance: A tree that sheds its leaves for winter, mostly about height 10-15 m with irregular, vaulted, often, however, quite a loose crown on a straight one, slender trunk.
Larger branches are quite straight and protruding far. Shoots and younger twigs only slightly hairy at first, otherwise smooth, brown-red, occasionally – with shoots, transformed into thorns.
The bark is initially smooth, later it is divided lengthwise and crosswise with furrows, dark, taupe
Leaves twisted or in bunches on short shoots, about the length 3-8 cm and width 2–5 cm, obovate or elliptical, quite thin, gently notched or serrated at the edges. They are slightly hairy on both sides just after unfolding, later, only the underside is short-hairy or mat velvety. Rounded or wedge-shaped at the base, short or indistinctly pointed at the front. Petiole approx 15 mm in length. The flowers are usually clustered two or three on short stalks and unfold simultaneously with the foliage or shortly before. The flowers have 1,5-4,0 cm wide. The crown petals are white, irregular or slightly serrated at the front.
Round-oblong drupes, about the length 2-7 cm. when ripe, they are colored differently depending on the variety.
Occurrence: The origin of the plum is not exactly known. Probably the species arose as a result of numerous crosses. Plum has been cultivated for a long time and many varieties have been bred to this day. It happens, that it has grown wild in forests,
Flowering period: March to April.
Related species:
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is presumably closely related to the species in question. It's a small tree or (more often) bush approx 6-8 meters has its branches spread wide, thickly planted with thorns, resulting from shoots. The flowers develop in early spring, before foliage. Very common in field bushes. Blue frosted sloes can be harvested after the first heavy frost.