Hybrid plum (Prunus x hybrid) KOMETA

Siberian Hybrid Plum 'Kometa'

A highly popular, super-early Siberian plum featuring extreme cold hardiness down to -30 °C, high yields, and delicious, juicy fruits.

Siberian Plum 'Kometa' (Very early variety)

'Kometa' (officially registered as 'Kubanskaja Kometa') is a very popular, super-early Siberian hybrid plum (complex interspecific hybrid Prunus hybrid) representing the absolute pinnacle of resilience and reliability. Bred in 1987 by G. V. Eremin and S. N. Zabrodina at the Krymsk breeding station (N. I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources - VIR) by crossing 'Skoroplodnaya' x 'Pionerka', its pedigree includes the legendary 'Climax' line developed by Luther Burbank. It combines the genetics of cherry plum (P. cerasifera), Japanese plum (P. salicina), Ussurian plum (P. ussuriensis), and Chinese plum (P. simonii). It is the ideal choice for marginal and colder areas where traditional European plums struggle.

Key advantages of the variety:

• Extreme cold hardiness: Both wood and flower buds easily tolerate severe winter frosts down to -30 °C without tissue injury.
• Staggered bloom and frost recovery: Blooms over an extended period. If early flowers are damaged by late spring frosts, the tree promptly activates dormant reserve buds to safeguard the harvest. Acts as an outstanding universal pollinator for hybrid plums.
• Heavy and precocious cropping: Enters bearing extremely early (often in the 2nd year after planting) with consistent, high annual yields.
• Sharka (PPV) and disease tolerance: Highly resistant to shot-hole disease (Stigmina carpophila) and tolerant to blossom wilt (Monilinia laxa). Possesses natural tolerance to Plum Pox Virus (PPV / Sharka) – symptoms only appear on leaves, leaving the fruits 100% unaffected, tasty, and unblemished.
• Compact habit: Modest vigor and a clean, manageable oval crown save garden space and simplify pruning.

Fruit and Harvest

• Appearance: Medium to large, symmetrical oval fruits (40 – 50 g, up to 60 g with proper thinning). The yellow background color is almost entirely covered by a rich wine-red to burgundy blush with a light waxy bloom.
• Flavor and flesh: Yellow-orange flesh (slightly reddish under the skin), medium-firm, very juicy, and pleasantly aromatic. When fully ripe, the flavor is sweet and rich with a refreshing slight tang in the skin. The stone is semi-freestone.
• Harvest period: Very early variety. Ripens from late June to mid-July (weeks ahead of conventional European plums).
• Harvest traits: Ripe fruits do not drop prematurely, hanging on the tree for extended picking, resisting cracking, and handling transportation very well.

Cultivation and Grower's Tips

• Pollination: Partially self-fertile. For maximum and consistent yields, plant near a compatible pollinator blooming at the same time (another Siberian plum, Japanese plum, or cherry plum/myrobalan).
• Fruit thinning: The tree has a strong tendency to overbear. To achieve premium-sized fruits (50 g+) and protect branches from breaking, fruit thinning in June is strongly advised.
• Site selection: Plant in full sun – generous sunlight guarantees high sugar content and vibrant burgundy skin coloration. In exceptionally wet summers, basic preventative protection against brown rot (Monilinia fructigena) is recommended.