Names like Pluot, Aprium, and Peacotum aren't typos or Pokemon, but complex fruit hybrids of the Prunus family that pack a sweet punch.
The crops we know today were bred by humans for thousands of years. It is thanks to this breeding work that we can now enjoy a huge selection of fruit, grain and vegetable varieties. But is there a way today to "create" new fruits using classic breeding methods without working on them for 1000 years?
Yes, there are! There is a special feature in the plant world that produces new fruits and plants simply by crossing them. While crosses between two different species are very rare in the animal kingdom, different plant species can be crossed with each other much more easily. Although animals such as a horse and a donkey can give birth to offspring, the resulting mule is sterile and cannot reproduce. For many plant species, however, this is not a problem. And even crossings between more than two species are possible! This form of breeding is called interspecific hybrids in technical jargon and this breeding technique works very well with the well-loved Prunus plants such as apricots, plums and peaches. If different species, such as plums and peaches, are crossed with one another, completely new fruit shapes, colors and flavor combinations are possible. It is important that this is a natural process that should not be confused with plants that have been genetically modified in the laboratory.
Pluots & Co: The result of the Zaiger family
The Zaiger family from California in particular has dedicated itself to interspecific breeding with plums, apricots and the like. A wide variety of varieties are also bred for the hobby gardener with multiple awards and a great deal of know-how. The fruits of the Zaiger family are characterized above all by their special colors and an intensely sweet aroma. In Germany, too, a few tree nurseries already offer interspecific hybrids. A particularly well-known variety is the Pluot®, a cross between the Chinese plum (Prunus salicina) and theApricot (Prunus armeniaca). The main benefit of this crossing is the sugar content. The sweet fruits are therefore very popular with children, because the acid content is also very low. So, for kids who often avoid fruit because of the sour taste, this strain is just right. However, anyone who thinks that everything has already been exhausted with interspecific breeding is wrong. The Russian variety with the simple name GEK consists of 4 different species. Among them are the cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera), the Chinese plum (Prunus salicina) and two wild species. It is worth noting that this variety is highly resistant to cold and fungal diseases. But the beautiful and harmoniously tasting yellow fruits are not to be scoffed at either.
In the following we show you an overview of various hybrids such as Aprium, Pluot and Peacotum.
Let us seduce you into a world of sugar-sweet and juicy new breeds.
Aprium ((Apricot x Plum) x Apricot)
Another very interesting variety is the Aprium. This variety is also a hybrid of Japanese plum and apricot. In contrast to the Pluot, however, emphasis was placed on a large proportion of apricots. Aprium therefore has more properties from the apricot. The variety is very attractive for hobby gardeners in this country, as it is frost hardy down to -22 °C and has a compact growth habit. As you can already guess, the aromas of the apricot are in the foreground here and the plum taste only comes through in the finish. Just like the Pluot varieties, the Aprium fruits are characterized by their intense aroma and pronounced sweetness. Well-known Aprium strains are Cot-n-Candy, Flavor Delight, Leah Cot and Summer Delight. With the exception of the Aprium variety Flavor Delight (which buds very early), all varieties are suitable for cultivation in Germany.
Nectacot (Nectarine x Apricot)
Nectacot is a cross between apricot and nectarine. The fruits are significantly larger than apricots, mostly hairless and taste like apricots with a certain fruit acidity. The flesh has a much firmer texture than classic nectarines.
Nectacotum (Nectarine x Apricot x Plum)
Cultivation Nectacotumclosely resembles the Peacotum. Only the skin is darker and completely free of "hair".
Nectaplum (Nectarine x Plum)
Crossing Japanese Plum and Nectarine results in the Nectaplum. The Nectaplum is similar to the nectarine, except for the slightly duller shade. In the taste, however, the plum content is clearly noticeable. The Spice Zee variety is extremely productive and tastes great.
Peacharine (Peach x Nectarine)
This hybrid of peach and nectarine tastes very close to a yellow-fleshed peach. However, the skin of the fruit is mostly hairless. The stone can also be removed very easily.
Peacotum ((Peach x Apricot) x Plum)
One of the latest breeds from Zaiger Genetics. Bella Gold Peacotum is a complex hybrid of peach, apricot and plum (Peach x Apricot x Plum ). The skin is slightly hairy, the flesh is firmer than a peach and is reminiscent of an apricot. The texture is very crisp and juicy. In general, the Peacotum grows quite compact.
Pluerry (Plum x Cherry)
Of course, the cherry must not be missing from the many crosses of the Prunus family! The Pluerry cultivar family has characteristics of both a cherry and a Japanese plum. This should give the mostly yellow-fleshed fruits a very special aroma. The sweetness of the cherry in particular is said to lead to a real taste explosion with the fruits of the Pluerry. Popular varieties of Pluerry include Sweet Treat, Candy Heart, and Sugar Twist.
Plumcot / Biricoccolo (Plum x Apricot)
While the other hybrids come from breeding programs, there are also natural hybrids of cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) and apricot in nature. This species is called Plumcot in America and Biricoccolo in Italy.
The Zaiger company also offers some varieties of Plumcots, which we believe contain the Japanese plum. Well-known varieties are Flavorella, Plum Parfait, Sprite Cherry-Plum and Cherry-Plum. The last two resulted from crossing cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera) with (Prunus salicina).
Pluot ((Plum x Apricot) x Plum)
The so-called pluots are a hybrid of apricot and Japanese plum, which in turn was back-crossed with a Japanese plum. In other words, Pluot is 75% Japanese plum and 25% apricot. Pluots are particularly known for their extremely high yields and their sugar-sweet fruits. While apricots have a sugar content of 11° Brix, the Pluots have a sugar content of over 20° Brix. In fact, the Pluots are so successful that other strains such as Flavor Supreme and Purple Candy have emerged from them. While the Flavor Supreme strain has gray-green skin, the Purple Candy strain has a deep purple tint. What all Pluot varieties have in common is that the fruits are extremely sweet and very juicy at the same time.
The small selection of varieties presented here in no way reflects the complete diversity of varieties of the interspecific Prunus hybrid. When shopping in the supermarket, however, it is definitely worth taking a closer look at the variety names. Because there is not always just one species behind the supposed apricots or plums, but rather complex varieties with a completely new aroma experience and a very special sweetness.