[Sca-cooks] Re: a question for horticulturists

[she not]

Huette von Ahrens said:my mother ..didn't want to have
to deal with the mess and what to do with an overabundance of plums. So 
an ornamental was planted.
 a lovely tree, with purple leaves all year around and 
lovely pink flowers in the
spring. 

Yesterday, I noticed about 8 or more red cherry-sized fruit growing on 
the tree. Now I am
wondering if it really is an ornamental?  Is it possible for an tree to go 
from an ornamental to
a fruit-bearing tree? 
That sounds like a purple leaf plum (There are a couple varieties, one is a sand cherry and more of a bush, which I'm told is likely to have edible fruit, and one's a tree which doesn't. Birds like both) Most trees bear "fruit", which is only a seed covering, after all. the difference is that some have been bred for fruit quality and some for ornamental qualities -like the famous japanese cherry and plum blossoms-with a negative effect on the useful qualities- (kinda like overbred dogs and such :( )  So yours won't produce good plums, but  will produce little worthless fruits that fall off and get caught in the lawnmower .  This means your poor mother will have to deal with the "mess" anyway, sorry to say.  The fruits might be ok to make things like umeboshi, cordials,even plum butter, etc, if they actually ripen..taste one! I really don't think they're poisonous or anything- the only reason they might give you a stomacheache would be eating them unripe.  Good Luck!
gisele

 



"all men are intrinsical rascals, and I am only sorry that not being a dog I can't bite them."   Lord Byron
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