Everyone knows the terms “plums”, “Renekloden” and “plums” or has at least heard them briefly. These are not named variations for a type of fruit. The stone fruits have something in common in the family. As a subspecies of Prunus domestica, plums, reindeer clods and plums have been successfully cultivated in our latitudes for centuries. The distinction between stone fruits is not always easy. The intense taste alone is not decisive. To correctly identify plums and co., All you need is our tips and a careful look.
Table of Contents
Characteristics
- Plums and their relatives belong to the rose family.
- Already 2000 years ago the fruits were cultivated in ancient Rome.
- Plums, plums and reneclods are mostly made up of water.
- The fruits are rich in vitamins A, C, B and E.
- Compared to other types of fruit, plums and the like have a high proportion of fructose.
- The main growing area for plums is in Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg.
- The deciduous trees and shrubs of the Prunus genus can reach a height of between 30 cm and 25 meters.
Delicious representatives of late summer
Even before the foliage of the leaves turns into colorful fireworks in late summer or autumn, the harvest time has come for a large number of fruits. In addition to apples and quinces, the season has also begun for plums. Rumor has it that it was Alexander the Great who brought the tasty and vitamin-rich fruits back from his expeditions of conquest. In the meantime, well over 200 different subspecies and hybrid forms are commercially available. The popularity of the fruit is reflected in a variety of recipes and regional delicacies. There are hardly any limits to the imagination of amateur cooks – but the right type of fruit should be selected for the project. Not every plum is a plum. And mirabelle plums and reefs also differ from the stone fruit of other Prunus species.
Tip : In addition to important minerals and vitamins, plums have the property of helping with digestive problems.
The fruits grouped under the generic term “plum” differ in appearance, size and taste. While some types are suitable for freezing, others can be easily processed into jam, compote or juice. The passionate hobby gardener only has to meet a few requirements in order to harvest his own fruits. For this reason alone, it is worth knowing the differences between the individual species and varieties.
The size matters
The ingredients of plums are impressive. In addition to numerous vitamins, this type of fruit contains zinc, potassium, copper, magnesium and important minerals. Plums are the largest fruits of the Prunus family. The following points are characteristic of their appearance:
- A purple, dark red, or blue color.
- A pronounced longitudinal seam and a dark point.
- Shiny skin and sweet pulp.
The color alone does not always determine the variety to which it belongs. A few cultivated forms of the plum have a yellow surface. Newcomers to the field of Prunus fruits can easily mistake this shape for an unripe plum. Here it is worth taking a closer look at the fruit. If the pulp gives way to light pressure, you can enjoy the stone fruit without any worries and indigestion.
Plums are the smaller subspecies, but they are very similar in appearance to plums. The elongated oval shape and the matt, bluish-purple skin are striking. The water and sugar content of plums is low. This can be seen from the sour taste of the fruit. The core of plums detaches easily from the pulp, that of plums is much more stubborn. Try it yourself: Roll the plum across the table and cut the stone fruit connection in half. The two types of fruit differ not only in appearance, but also in their use:
- Plums are not suitable for freezing and will disintegrate after thawing
- Due to the low water content, plums are ideal for baking and for use as dried fruit
- Both types of fruit make tasty jam and puree
Tip: Whether “plum cake” or “plum cake”: passionate hobby bakers almost always use the easy-to-process plums for cakes.
A noble fruit does itself the honor
Renekloden are a subspecies of the plum. Often referred to as noble plums, the fruits impress with their intense taste and juicy flesh. “Reineclauden” are a young variety of plums. The rose family was discovered in France at the beginning of the 19th century and named “Reine Claude” after the French queen. It is thanks to its popularity that the small plum variety is now grown worldwide. You can recognize Renekloden by the following characteristics:
- Dark green to yellow green colored skin.
- Individual varieties are red or blue in color.
- The pulp is white to light green in color.
- In direct sunlight, the shell can take on a reddish shimmer.
- Round and medium-sized.
- Soft pulp.
Depending on the variety and the weather, the harvest takes place in August and September. During this period you can buy the fruit fresh from the fruit and vegetable dealer or at the weekly market. The freshness plays an important role in the small type of plum. If they are stored for a long time, the reindeer will get bruises and lose their aroma. For this reason, keep the stone fruit in the refrigerator for a maximum of one week. Thanks to their intense aroma, you can use Renekloden in a variety of ways in the kitchen. In addition to the classic processing into jam and schnapps, the spherical fruits also taste good in cakes and as chutney.
There is a high risk of confusion with mirabelle plums. Like reindeer, this plum subspecies comes from the Caucasus. Only slightly smaller than plums, mirabelle plums contain little acid. The pulp of this stone fruit tastes accordingly sweet and aromatic. The first glance at harvest time is usually deceptive: the growth of mirabelle plums is weak compared to red clods.
The harvest in your own garden
All fruits of the genus “Prunus” have one thing in common: cultivation in the garden is easy. First of all, it is important to choose the location carefully. Whether redwood, plum or plum tree: The plants thrive best in a warm place. To develop the intense taste, the plants need sufficient amounts of direct sunlight. For this reason, a location on the south side makes sense. The space requirement depends on the expected height of the plant. Some varieties of Prunus domestica can reach a maximum height of 25 m. Ideal for providing shade, but tedious when it comes to harvesting and pruning. For this reason, small bushes and trees have proven their worth. Here you can harvest the fruits without a ladder or telescopic pole. At the same time, maintenance is relatively easy. Depending on the selected variety, you can start harvesting the aromatic stone fruits as early as the end of July. By no means unusual that you can get plums and Co. one after the other from the tree. Not all fruits ripen at the same time.
Tip : Remove any annoying, external branches. So sunlight can reach all plums.
Storage and treatment of plums
The delicacies of late summer taste best fresh. Many recipes invite you to further process the aromatic fruits. To allow unripe plums to ripen quickly in your own kitchen, you should proceed as follows:
- Pack the stone fruit in a clean paper bag.
- A banana promotes the ripening process.
- Store the bag at room temperature, temperatures between 20 to 25 ° C are ideal.
- Avoid direct sunlight.
Do not put unripe fruits in the refrigerator. In the cool environment, the fruits do not ripen, but become mushy.
Conclusion It
is not always easy to recognize plums, Renekloden and plums at first glance. However, if you deal a little with the tasty fruits, you will quickly notice the differences between the individual varieties. Each subspecies of Prunus domestica has its own taste and a sweet to slightly sour aroma.
