Robusto — A New Vigorous and Precocious Plum for the Southeastern United States

Abstract

The Agricultural Research Service, USDA, has recently released a new diploid hybrid plum, Robusto, that is adapted to most areas of the south-eastern United States where native and native × Japanese hybrid plums are grown. The name refers to two outstanding characteristics of this new cultivar, its extremely vigorous tree growth and its precocity of bearing. Fruits of Robusto are similar in appearance, taste, and marketing procedures to Bruce, the most important southeastern jam and jelly cultivar, except that Robusto, by virtue of its later bloom and longer development time (Table 1), matures approximately one week later than Bruce. Thus, Robusto is expected to extend the jam and jelly season.