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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Herman plum

Herman

Herman is one of the earliest plums available, ripening in mid-late July.  It is medium size, with a blue-black colour, yellow flesh - similar to its parent, Czar, but with a better eating flavour, and ripening earlier.

Herman is a free-stone plum - the stone falls away easily from the flesh.

Herman plum identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Herman
  • Herman

USDA identification images for Herman

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

    Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.

    Parents and other ancestors of this variety


    Visitor reviews

    • 06 Jul 2022 
      Precocious and heavy cropper. Excellent flavour. Sweet with some acidity and tannins. More grown-up/interesting flqvour than super market plums. Important to thin otherwise small fruits and less distinct taste.
    • 05 Aug 2013  United Kingdom
      Disagree with the above, by far the best flavoured early plum I've tasted fresh, nice and meaty in a crumble too. The only early plums that are tastier are the Japanese types (Methley etc) but bad pollination this season. Highly recommended as far as I'm concerned
    • 29 Jul 2013  NORTH YORKSHIRE, United Kingdom
      I bought a Herman plum as an alternative to Early Rivers which I also grow. Yes, it crops heavily, but the flavour is a big disappointment. A supermarket quality plum probably best used for cooking.
    • 25 Jul 2013  Belgium
      Just a rather ordinary plum flavor, sharp when picked early, but sweetening later. Holds well on the tree. You, don't really grow this variety for a special flavor, but for having plums in July. Quentin

    Tree register

    United Kingdom

    Belgium

    Poland

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2014 season

    • 30th March  2014  - tree owned by Colin in Godalming, United Kingdom

    2013 season

    • 30th April  2013  - tree owned by Richard in York, United Kingdom

    Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.


    Harvest records for this variety

    2013 season

    • 4th week July  2013  - tree owned by Richard in York, United Kingdom
    • 4th week July  2013  - tree owned by Quentin in Tervuren, Belgium

    Origins

    • Species: Prunus domestica - European plum
    • Originates from: Sweden
    • Introduced: 1970
    • Developed by: SLU, Balsgard, Sweden

    Identification

    • Country of origin: Sweden
    • Period of origin: 1950 - 1999
    • Fruit colour: Purple
    • Flower colour: White
    • Leaf colour: Green
    • Annual cycle: Deciduous

    Using

    • Picking season: Early
    • Keeping (of fruit): 1-3 days
    • Flavour quality: Good
    • Flavour style (apples): Sweet/Sharp
    • Cropping: Heavy
    • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Food uses: Culinary
    • Picking period: mid-July
    • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

    Growing

    • Gardening skill: Beginner
    • Flowering group: 2
    • Pollinating others: Average
    • Ploidy: Diploid
    • Vigour: Average vigour
    • Bearing regularity: Regular
    • Organic culture: Suitable
    • Self-fertility: Self-fertile

    Climate

    • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cold (< 20C / 67F)

    Other qualities

    • Disease resistance: Average

    Where to buy trees

    The following tree nurseries offer Herman plum trees for sale:


    Where to buy fresh fruit

    No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.



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