STANLEY PLUM TREE

In local dialect “La vrugna”

Prunus domestica L.
Rosaceae

🍈STANLEY PLUM TREE AND ITS SWEET AND INTENSE FRUITS

Stanley plum tree (Prunus domestica L. ‘Stanley’) is one of the most common and liked varieties of European plum tree. It is known for its high productivity, its sweet fruits and its versatility in cooking. The Stanley variety is a perfect choice for both fresh consumption and drying.

It is not an ancient variety:

🌿 It was selected in 1913 in the United States, thanks to Richard Wellington’s studies, an agronomist at the Experimental Station of Geneva, New York.
📜 This type of prune is the result of a crossbreed of traditional European plum trees, and it has spread quickly in Europe and the entire world because of its resistance and the quality of its fruits.
🌍 Today it grows widely in Italy, France, Spain and the Balkans, especially for its use in the production of dried plums.

We included this tree in our orchard to compare it with its hardier relative and to evaluate its resistance in biological farming. In addition, its fruits are widely appreciated in our plum jam, which is a timeless classic. We also use the Stanley plums in our Amaretto-flavoured plums in syrup.

 

 

	CHERRY-PLUM TREE (PRUNUS CERASIFERA EHRH.)	STANLEY PLUM TREE  (PRUNUS DOMESTICA L. ‘STANLEY’)	COSCIA DI MONACA PLUM TREE (PRUNUS DOMESTICA L.)
Origin	Europe and Asia, wild species	Selected in the USA (1913)	Ancient Italian variety
Fruit’s shape	Small and round shaped	Oval and elongated shape	Oval, slightly-tapered shape
Peel’s colour	Yellow-reddish or deep red	Blue-violet with waxy patina	Dark red with violet nuances
Pulp	Yellow and gold, juicy, sweet and sour	Yellow and gold, solid, very sugary	Yellow-orange, soft, sweet and fragrant
Flavour	Sweet and sour, fragrant	Sweet, with honey aftertaste	Very sweet, soft
Kernel	Small, clingstone	Freestone	Semi-clingstone
Blossoming	Very premature (March)	April	Late (April-May)
Ripening period	June	September	July-August
Use	Fresh consumption, rootstock for other types of plum trees	Fresh consumption, dried plums, jams, liqueurs	Fresh consumption, jams and desserts
Resistance	Hardy, resistant to cold and drought	Cold tolerant, drought sensitive	Sensitive to sudden climatic changes
Curiosity	It is often used as rootstock for other types of plum trees	It is one of the most common types of cultivated plum tree	It is a typical and very sought-after variety in central Italy

📌To sum up:

• Cherry plum tree: this is a hardy and premature tree, perfect for those who are seeking a resistant plum tree.
• Stanley plum tree: this is a productive and adaptable tree, and its fruits are perfect for dried plums and jams.
• “Coscia di Monaca” plum tree: literally, its name means “nun’s thigh” and its fruits’ taste is mild and sugary. These plums are ideal for fresh consumption and desserts.