Flavor Supreme Pluot

Flavor Supreme Pluot (Prunus salicina x Prunus armeniaca 'Flavor Supreme')

Flavor Supreme Pluot is a backyard fruit tree grown for its intense, dessert-quality flavor and a harvest that feels special compared to standard plums. In spring, it opens with small white blossoms that signal the start of the fruit season, then sets richly colored fruit that ripens in mid-summer. The tree stays in a manageable size range for home orchards, especially with routine pruning. If you want a high-reward stone fruit with a memorable eating experience, this is the kind of tree that makes you look forward to harvest season.

Distinctive Features

This interspecific plum and apricot hybrid produces medium-sized fruit with greenish to maroon mottled skin and deep red flesh that is juicy and sweet when fully ripe. Bloom typically occurs early in the spring, which can be an advantage in mild springs but can also make frost protection and site selection more important in colder pockets. Fruit set is improved with cross-pollination, so it performs best when paired with a compatible Japanese plum or another pluot-type tree that blooms at a similar time. The overall habit is upright to spreading, forming a rounded canopy that fits well into edible landscapes.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun for best flowering, fruit set, and sugar development.
• Soil: Well-drained soil is essential, and avoid heavy, wet sites that stay saturated.
• Water: Medium, keep evenly moist during establishment and provide consistent moisture during fruit development.
• USDA Zones: 5 to 9.
• Mature Size: About 12 to 18 feet tall and 12 to 18 feet wide.
• Habit: Upright to spreading with a rounded canopy that responds well to pruning.
• Flowers: White blossoms in early spring.
• Fruit: Mottled green to maroon fruit with red flesh, typically ripening in mid-summer.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Plant as an edible specimen where spring bloom and summer harvest can become a seasonal highlight near patios or garden paths.
• Home Orchard: Add to a mixed orchard lineup for a standout mid-summer harvest window.
• Edible Landscape: Use as a fruiting canopy layer that still looks ornamental in mixed beds.
• Pollination Pairing: Site near a compatible Japanese plum or another pluot-type tree to improve fruit set and yield.
• Sunny Garden Edge: Place along the edge of the yard where it can get all-day sun and easy harvest access.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune in late winter to maintain an open structure, improve air flow, and support consistent fruiting.
• Watering: Deep water through the first one to two growing seasons, then water during dry spells, especially while fruit is sizing up.
• Thinning: Thin heavy fruit sets in early summer to improve fruit size and reduce limb stress.
• Mulching: Mulch over the root zone to conserve moisture and reduce weeds, keeping mulch off the trunk.
• Site Selection: Choose a sunny, well-drained location with good air movement to support healthier foliage and cleaner fruit.

Why Choose Flavor Supreme Pluot?

• High-Flavor Fruit: Known for rich, sweet flavor and juicy red flesh when allowed to fully ripen.
• Mid-Summer Harvest: Ripens in the heart of the season when fresh fruit is most rewarding.
• Backyard Scale: Stays in a manageable size range and responds well to pruning.
• Orchard Variety: Brings something different to the fruit lineup beyond standard plums and apricots.
• Edible Beauty: Spring flowers and summer fruit add seasonal interest while earning its keep in the garden.

For the best results, give Flavor Supreme Pluot full sun, excellent drainage, and a compatible pollination partner nearby. With steady care and thoughtful siting, it can become the kind of tree that turns summer into a yearly harvest tradition.