Plum Tree History & Luther Burbank's Hybridization Legacy

Ancient Origins & American Development

European plums (Prunus domestica) originated in Caucasus Mountains near Caspian Sea. Prunes sustained Tartars, Mongols, Turks, Huns. American plum history begins with Prince Nursery (Flushing, NY, 1737) offering 33 varieties in 1771. Henry Laurens introduced French plums post-1755. William Bartram documented Chickasaw plum (Prunus chicasaw) and wild plum (Prunus indica) in 1792.

Luther Burbank's Unparalleled Contributions

Burbank imported 12 plum seedlings in 1885—"most important importation ever." He intercrossed global varieties in a massive "melting pot," screening 7.5 million hybrid crosses. Famous cultivars: Burbank, Santa Rosa, Wickson, Golden, Satsuma, Shiro, Ozark Premier. USDA Professor H.E. Van Deman named "Burbank Plum" after him.

Genetic Foundations & Breakthroughs

Burbank combined four ancestral groups: Japanese (exotic Satsuma—red skin, blue bloom, dark purplish-red flesh), Chinese (aromatic, rich skins, small pits, but bitter), European (varied sizes/flavors, adaptable, good fresh/dried/canned, but watery), American (hardy, productive, poor shipping).

Myrobalan plum (Prunus cerasifera) became standard rootstock—nematode/disease resistant. Burbank developed seedless plums (from French "Sans noyaii") with diverse colors but no commercial success. High-sugar crosses (fig/pineapple/orange sweetness) enabled superior prune production requiring 15%+ sugar, alkali pretreatment, early ripening, self-dropping, small pits.

Modern Varieties & Hybrids

Recommended: Blue Damson, Chickasaw, Elephant Heart, Green Egg, Methley, Morris, Stanley, Au Amber, Au Homeside, Au Rubrum, Black Ruby, Byrongold, Ruby Sweet, Six Weeks, Plumcot. Ornamental: Newport, Purple Pony, Thundercloud (red-leaf flowering). Burbank's Thundercloud line from French purple-leaf ancestor produces edible red fruit.

Health benefits: antioxidants, Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, Niacin, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron. Burbank created plumcots (50/50 plum/apricot), pluots (75/25), apriums (75/25 apricot/plum).