- Name synonyms: Grosse di Felicio
- Growth type: vigorous
- Crown: irregular, free-form
- Tree height, m: up to 3 or more
- Fruit size: large
- Fruit weight, g: 70-80 and 90
- Fruit shape: oval with rather narrow edges
- Fruit color: deep purple
- Skin : with a dense wax coating
- Pulp (consistency): fibrous with low juice content
Lovers of sweet and large plums will certainly want to plant a non-capricious and very tasty variety in their summer cottage that will give good yields. For these purposes, a late plum variety with the beautiful name Grossa di Filicio is definitely suitable.
Description of the variety
Plum Grossa di Filicio is a vigorous tree characterized by an irregular, arbitrary crown shape with a good thickening of dark green leaves with a pronounced dullness. In favorable conditions, the tree grows on average up to 3 meters, but it can stretch up to 5-6 m. In addition, the tree has an average spreading of branches and a strong root system. During the flowering period, the voluminous crown is covered with large flowers of a milky shade.
Fruit characteristics
This type of plum belongs to the class of large-fruited varieties. On a healthy tree, fruits gain weight 70-80, and sometimes 90 grams. The fruits are oval in shape with narrowed edges, which visually makes the plums "pot-bellied". Ripe fruits are evenly covered with dark purple color. The rind is of moderate density, but without the slightest hardness, covered with a waxy bloom. The abdominal suture of the plums is pronounced - it cracks.
The purpose of plums is universal - they are eaten fresh, used in cooking, stewed fruit, processed into jams, sauces, marmalades, and also dried and frozen. The harvested crop is easily transported without significant losses, and can also be stored in a cool place for a long time.
Taste qualities
According to gardeners and experts, this variety has excellent taste. The greenish-amber flesh is of medium density, tight fleshiness, fiber and low juice content. The plum has a balanced taste - sweet with a piquant sourness, without a hint of astringency and bitterness. The aroma of the fruit is not bright, with pleasant fruity notes.
Ripening and fruiting
Grossa di Filicio is a late ripening plum. The first harvest is observed in the 4-5th year after planting the tree. Plums ripen gradually, so the fruiting season is slightly extended. The period of active ripening and fruiting begins in the second half of September.
Yield
Yields are reported as high. To get a great harvest, you need to provide proper tree care. On average, 25 kg or more of plums can be removed from one tree per season.
Growing regions
The plum tree has significantly expanded the geography of its growth. The most comfortable drain is in regions with a temperate climate, where winters are more or less warm.
Self-fertility and the need for pollinators
Grossa di Filicio is a non-self-fertile species, therefore cross-pollination will be required, which means that donor trees cannot be dispensed with.Pollinating trees should bloom at the same time as the Grossa di Filicio plum. As practice shows, the best pollinators are: President and Sugar.
Growing and care
This plum species does not require complicated agricultural technology, but it is a little capricious to the soil and the place of growth. It is better to choose a site on a small hill, but not in a lowland, since stagnant moisture (close occurrence of groundwater) can kill the root system of a tree. The soil loves plum fertile, loose, breathable, with a low or neutral acidity. In addition, the site should be abundantly illuminated by the sun and be spacious, since the tree is massive with a voluminous crown. Strong shading and drafts are undesirable for fruit crops.
You can plant seedlings in early spring (before the growing season) or in autumn (a month before the onset of stable frosts). It is important to maintain the correct distance between trees - at least 4 meters.
Cultural agrotechnics consists of basic activities - regular watering, top dressing, loosening and mulching of the soil, crown formation, sanitary and rejuvenating pruning of branches, protection from viruses and insects. Before winter, whitewashing of the trunk and branches, mulching of the near-root zone, as well as shelter with burlap or agrofibre are required.
Disease and pest resistance
Due to its high immunity, the tree actively resists many diseases to which plum crops are exposed. The only thing the plum is exposed to is moniliosis. Timely preventive spraying will help protect against aphids, moths and moths.
Despite the fact that plum is considered more hardy than many fruit trees, it is not immune from diseases. It is attacked by viral, fungal and bacterial infections, and parasitic insects harm it. It is necessary to notice and recognize the signs of plum disease in time. They are easier to deal with and defeat early on. Well, in order to protect the garden tree from such a misfortune in the future, preventive procedures can be carried out.
Resistance to soil and climatic conditions
A variety with medium resistance to severe frosts, therefore, in the first years after planting, the tree needs high-quality insulation, regardless of the climatic zone. It is also worth noting that the plum is drought-resistant. Easily adapts to heat and minor temperature fluctuations, for example, return frosts in spring.