European plum Timiryazev Memory

This variety was obtained at the All-Russian Selection and Technology Institute of Horticulture and Nursery from crossing Victoria x Red Early. Breeders: V.A. Efimov, Kh.K. Enikeev, S.N. Satarov. Introduced into the State Register in 1959 for the Central and Volga regions.

Medium-sized tree. Round, bushy crown, moderate density and leafiness. Shoots light brown, hairy. Buds slightly smaller than average, slightly deviated from shoots. Leaf blade inversely egg-shaped, size (length x width) — 38.3 cm², light green color, medium thickness, slightly wrinkled surface, no hairs on top, hairs present on underside, margin single-toothed. Petiole medium length, has glands. Petals not closed, number of stamens 21, stigma positioned above stamens, ovary naked, calyx cup-shaped, pedicel medium length, hairy. Blooms and fruits on one-year shoots and flower clusters.

Fruit egg-shaped, weighing 22 g, main color yellow, covering has appearance of red blush with red subcutaneous dots concentrated on sun-exposed side of fruit. No hairs, weak waxy coating. Apex and base shapes oval, ventral suture weakly developed. Fruit appearance good. Flesh yellow, fine-grained texture, high density, moderate juiciness. Sugar content and aroma of flesh moderate. Taste rating 4.2 points. Chemical composition of skin and flesh: dry matter content — 15%, free acids — 1.4%, sugars — 9.3%, ascorbic acid — 11 mg/100g. Pedicel length medium. Stone oval, weight 1 g, constitutes 5.5% of fruit weight. Fruit detachment from pedicel dry. Transportability high. Variety of general-purpose use.

Flowering period May 13–22, ripening period August 28 — September 3. Age of fruiting onset 4 years. Plant longevity 21 years. Self-fertile. Yield above average. Average yield over the last 16 years — 9 kg/tree. Fruit production not sharply periodic (5 low-yield years out of last 16). Winter damage to shoots above average, branches and flower buds moderate. Drought resistance moderate. Susceptibility to diseases (clasterosporiosis and fruit rot) low (0–1.5 points), to pests moderate (2.5–3 points). Suitable for commercial and intensive cultivation.

Advantages of the variety: good fruit quality, self-fertility, good regenerative capacity.

Disadvantages: insufficient winter hardiness, strong susceptibility to mites.