Plum (Prunus domestica) AVE

Plum (Prunus domestica) 'Ave'

A proven Estonian variety with large fruits and reliable productivity.

'Ave' is a high-quality and widely grown Estonian plum variety, prized for its high and reliable productivity and large, high-quality fruits. The tree has medium to strong growth. The fruits are large, round-oval, and an attractive reddish-purple color. The flesh is medium-dense and has a pleasant, harmonious sweet-tart taste. A major advantage is its small stone that separates easily from the flesh. The variety is partially self-fertile and has good frost hardiness, making it a proven choice for both home gardens and commercial orchards.

Main advantages of the variety:

• High and reliable productivity: Delivers a satisfactory harvest every year.
• Large fruits with a small stone: Fruits weighing 41–55 g.
• Easily separable stone.
• Pleasant, harmonious sweet-tart taste.
• Good frost hardiness.
• Partially self-fertile.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Estonia
• Institution: Polli Horticultural Research Centre of the Estonian University of Life Sciences
• Cross: ‘Wilhelmine Späth’ × ‘Tartu kaunitar’
• Year of registration: 2004 (on the list of recommended varieties since 1989)

Variety Characteristics

Tree

Growth is medium to strong, with an oval crown. It is partially self-fertile, but for increased yields, suitable pollinators include varieties like ‘Ance’, ‘Adelyn’, ‘Julius’, or ‘Victoria’.

Fruit

• Size and weight: Large, with an average weight of 41–55 g.
• Shape and color: Round-oval, with a deep suture, reddish-purple in color.
• Flesh: Medium-dense.
• Taste: Pleasant, harmonious, sweet-tart.
• Stone: Small and easily separable from the flesh.
• Chemical composition: Sugars 8%, Acids 1.3%, Vitamin C 11 mg/100 g.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost hardiness: Good.

Growing Recommendations

• Use: Excellent for fresh consumption and for processing (canning).

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Mid-early.
• Productivity: High, with an average yield of 15–29 kg per tree.