Chinese plum: what happens and how is it different?

Chinese plum is not the only name for an exotic fruit. It is also called "litchi". This plant was first grown in China.Now it is more widespread, and from America to Russia, although not every garden is grown in our country so far.

Chinese plum deserves special attention. It belongs to the genus Plum, which includes more than two hundred different varieties. In addition to taste, the Chinese plum has a lot of other features.

Firstly, this plant has an amazing bloom. Unfortunately, they can only admire a few days.

From the usual Chinese plum and foliage is different. It is more elongated and shiny, there is no edge, the size of the foliage is larger than that of other types of plums. If the plant blooms profusely, it does not mean that the harvest will be huge. Flowering begins in early spring, in this regard, the probability of pollination due to cold weather is small.

There is a Chinese plum feature that distinguishes it from southern varieties - this is the fibrous pulp that does not melt in the mouth. In addition, to remove the bone from the pulp is unlikely to succeed. The plant has a specific aroma: someone is sure that the Chinese plum smells like apricots, some people think that it is melon.

Fruiting Chinese plum begins 2-3 years after planting. After this time, the harvest can already be collected. The most common form of fruit - round, in some varieties it is elongated, shade - from yellow to red.

All types of culture have similar parameters. These include accelerated growth and high yields. Almost all trees bloom 36 months after planting.

Blooming Chinese plum is very decorative. Flowers may be white, pink, with a large number of inflorescences. If you remove the immature fruit from the tree, they quite successfully survive. At the same time the taste is greatly improved.

The fact that the Chinese plum is a fruit already speaks about a certain benefit for a person. First, consider the chemical composition of this fruit:

• Most of the Chinese plum is water, about 82%. Carbohydrates contain about 17%, the rest falls on proteins and fats.
• Lychee is a sweet fruit, but its calorie content is low, only 66 kcal / 100 g. If you follow the figure carefully, the Chinese plum will not harm it.
• It contains many minerals, organic acids, vitamin C and potassium.
• Lychee contains valuable antioxidants.

All these substances bring health benefits. In particular, the rutin contained in the composition protects the body from the development of oncology, potassium supports the correct functioning of the heart, and copper has a positive effect on the endocrine system.

Nicotinic acid helps the liver to function normally, reduces blood sugar. Effective cleaning of the body of toxins is also carried out with the help of this substance.

According to reviews of scientists from China, the use of Chinese plum allows the body to deal with stress, cold, asthma, tuberculosis. Also in the Chinese plum discovered truly unique substances that improve blood circulation and help the body to cope with great physical exertion.

Now a little about the use of Chinese plum in traditional medicine. And this is one of the essential advantages of this culture, since it is almost harmless. So, the advantages:

• Chinese plum - a prophylactic against atherosclerosis;
• decoction litchi can gargle;
• may be used in cosmetology in the form of masks for the face and hair.

There are also positive non-health traits:

• wine can be made from these fruits;
• can be used as an ingredient for salads and desserts;

• Chinese plum can be dried, frozen and canned;
• high resistance to frost, despite the southern homeland;
• earlier fruiting;
• good transportability;
• high resistance to all sorts of diseases;
• consistently high yield levels;
• attractive appearance.

If we talk about the minuses, they certainly are: you should not eat a large amount, it can cause flatulence, it is also better to refrain from eating the fruit as nursing mothers. No one has canceled the individual allergic reaction either, so if you have ever been allergic to fruits or berries, it is better not to risk it.

We will understand how to choose the right grade and what properties are available for each common type.

Let's start with the variety "Superior", which is the result of the work of Japanese breeders. The pollinators are Chinese plums of other varieties or plum.

This variety has high yields every year, large fruits, excellent taste. This type of Chinese plum is considered dessert, and the fruit has a yellowish-purple skin.

The growth rate of plums of this variety is low, it decreases if the yield reaches a maximum. Therefore, the plum must be regularly cut to rejuvenate. Variety resistant to smallpox and plum moth damage.

The next representative is the Alyonushka variety. He was the result of pollination varieties "Red Ball" and "Chinese". After the selection, it turned out a low tree with a crown in the form of an inverted broom.

The fruits ripen in early August, they have an attractive appearance and excellent taste. Cracking is not typical of this variety, even if the weather is rainy. From each tree, some gardeners remove 15-20 kg of plums.

The pulp has a sour taste, the structure is dense, with a small-sized bone. The best pollinator will be “Skoroplodnaya” plum, but you can use other varieties that have similar flowering periods.

Of the minuses of the variety, it can be noted that it is very sensitive to colds, prone to aphids, the level of keeping quality of fruits cannot be called high. But they are easy to transport without fear of damage to the fruit.

Chinese plum "Skoroplodnaya" enjoys great success with our gardeners. She has the highest rates of yield, and the tree itself is not very large.

It is also important that when breeding with a bone, it retains all the characteristics of the variety. 35 kg of ripe berries can be removed from an adult plant. Moreover, their color even on a single tree can vary from bright yellow to scarlet.

Comparatively new is the "Sissy" variety. Compared with other varieties, its flowering is several times more beautiful. These are fruits weighing up to 35 g in the form of a ball with pulp that melts in the mouth.

To get the first harvest, you need to be patient. This will happen no earlier than in 5 years. The average yield is 30-40 kg per tree.

The next variety - "Orlovskaya dream." It can also be called a novelty of selection. He is especially appreciated for large fruits and their bright appearance. These plums are very sweet, the juice has no color, the pulp is dense.

Indicators of frost resistance of this class are record. Gardeners note that the more the fruit is fastened, the smaller will be their size. Productivity - 22-25 kg from one tree.

Chinese plum "Red Ball".Fruits ripen in early August, susceptible to cracking. It is noted that the taste of the fruit is decent, but it cannot be called special. The yield is average, cold resistance too. The variety is widely distributed in the Moscow region.

"Ussuri" plum refers to winter-hardy varieties, the period of fruiting is extended. Fruits of different weights, there are up to 30 grams, and there are those that weigh no more than 3 grams.

This category includes several varieties at once. In particular, it is:

• "Pioneer";
• "Snow White";
• "Golden Niva" and others.

Chinese plum "Dawn" - winter-hardy variety, with early flowering and good taste of the fruit. The size of the fruit is large, the tip is pointed, the color is bright red.

Variety "Top hit" ripens late (in October), resistant to frost, large fruits, very tasty. Appeared thanks to German selection and does not need pollinators. Fruiting begins 3-4 years after planting. The variety is transportable, with high and stable yield.

There are other varieties that are successfully grown in various regions of the Russian Federation. The above are the most famous.

In most cases, the cultivation of plum ordinary and Chinese global differences does not. But in order for the fruiting to be stable and abundant, a number of features still need to be considered:

• To accommodate Chinese plum saplings you need to choose well-lit areas with protection from wind gusts.
• To plum well fruited, on the site should be planted several varieties at once. Pick them up at the beginning of flowering. Between seedlings is better to leave a distance of about 3 meters.
• The ideal is neutral soil, sour need to be deoxidized. To do this, add wood ash or dolomite flour to the soil.
• They dig a landing pit, the diameter of which is not less than 70 cm, depth - 50. Drainage in the form of expanded clay, rubble, broken bricks is obligatory.
• Peat / humus is added to the pits as fertilizer. One such feeding is enough for 2-3 years. Then apply superphosphate, potassium sulfate.

For planting is better to choose seedlings, which are more than 12 months. For a normal plum, the optimum planting time is spring, and for Chinese it is autumn. During the winter, the tree grows and develops the root system, and in the spring it grows actively and grows the crown.

After planting the first time watering the plantings after 14 days. Under each seedling poured 2 buckets of water.

In the care of the culture also has its own nuances. For example, so that the thin twigs do not break, you need to make supports from the boards. They are put under the branches with the fruits. Every year it is recommended to carry out sanitary pruning and remove all dead branches that have frozen over the winter, thin out the crown if it is too thick.

Before cutting, the instrument is disinfected, it must also be sharp. Places cuts close up garden pitch. The plant copes well with drought, but if summer is very hot, watering should be frequent, at least 10 liters per 1 m2 from the crown projection. After watering, the soil is loosened to a depth of 4-5 cm.

For the most part, Chinese plum varieties are frost resistant, but the trunks are best hidden under the covering material. If possible, snow from trees should be removed so that thin branches do not break. As soon as the thaw comes, the snow from the trunks must be otgresti so that the root neck of the plant does not break.

Experienced gardeners and agronomists advise:

• Plant plum in late August. Spring survival is much lower.
• Before planting, hold the seedlings in a solution of any root-stimulator for a couple of hours.
• Remove all the roots that have damage, and make the long ones shorter.
• In the place where you plan to plant Chinese plum, remove all the weeds.
• After the snow melts and the buds have not yet swelled, process the trees with a 3% solution of Bordeaux mixture.

The taste of Chinese plum is somewhat lower than the usual homemade. But gardeners in different regions of the country successfully grow this fruit and are very pleased with the result. Summer residents in the truest sense are subjugated by the unpretentiousness of the culture and ease of caring for it. In addition, the trees in the flowering stage are simply amazing in their beauty. And for proper care and care, the Chinese plum responds with a large number of tasty fruits.

In the next video you will find a lot of useful information about the Chinese plum.