Plums are a favored fruit for many home gardeners, offering delicious harvests and ornamental beauty. Among the many varieties available, ‘Methley’ and ‘Santa Rosa’ plums consistently rank as popular choices for backyard cultivation. This article compares these two plum varieties, exploring their distinct characteristics to help you determine the best fit for your garden.
Flavor Profile and Culinary Uses
‘Methley’ plums are recognized for their mild, sweet taste and juicy, red flesh, making them excellent for fresh eating. The skin ranges from red to purple, enclosing a clingstone pit. They are suitable for culinary applications such as jams, jellies, and desserts.
In contrast, ‘Santa Rosa’ plums offer a more complex flavor profile, balancing sweetness with a notable tartness, especially in the skin. They feature deep red-purple skin and golden-yellow flesh that can turn red near the skin. The flesh is firm yet juicy, and the fruit is also clingstone. ‘Santa Rosa’ plums are highly versatile, ideal for fresh consumption, baking, canning, and making preserves, with their tartness making them particularly good for jams due to high pectin content.
Growth Habits and Tree Characteristics
‘Methley’ plum trees are known for their moderate growth rate, typically reaching a mature height of 15 to 20 feet with a similar spread. They thrive in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9 and require a low chill hour accumulation, generally between 150 and 250 hours. ‘Methley’ plums are self-fertile, though planting another Japanese plum variety can increase yields.
‘Santa Rosa’ plum trees are vigorous growers, reaching a mature height of 15 to 20 feet. They are suitable for USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. ‘Santa Rosa’ plums have a higher chill hour requirement compared to ‘Methley’, typically needing 300 to 500 hours below 45°F (7.2°C). Cross-pollination with another Japanese plum variety can significantly enhance fruit yield.
Ripening Season and Fruit Yield
‘Methley’ plums ripen early, often being one of the first plum varieties ready for harvest. Depending on the climate, fruit can ripen from late May to early July. These trees produce heavy, consistent annual crops. ‘Methley’ plum trees typically begin bearing fruit within two to four years after planting.
‘Santa Rosa’ plums generally ripen later than ‘Methley’, with harvest times typically ranging from mid-June to mid-August. They are also known for producing abundant harvests. ‘Santa Rosa’ plum trees usually begin producing fruit within three to five years of planting. The fruit often benefits from being picked slightly firm and allowed to ripen further off the tree.
Disease Resistance and Growing Challenges
‘Methley’ plum trees generally exhibit good disease resistance and are considered heat and drought tolerant once established. They are low-maintenance. A common challenge for ‘Methley’ is their early blooming, which can make them susceptible to spring frost damage. They also tend to produce suckers from the base, which require regular removal.
‘Santa Rosa’ plum trees are robust, but can be susceptible to bacterial spot and bacterial gummosis. Pests such as spider mites and birds can also affect ‘Santa Rosa’ plums. Like ‘Methley’, ‘Santa Rosa’ trees benefit from consistent pruning to manage vigorous upright growth and promote air circulation.
Choosing the Right Plum for Your Garden
Selecting between ‘Methley’ and ‘Santa Rosa’ plums depends on specific gardening goals and local climate conditions. For gardeners prioritizing an early and sweet harvest with minimal chill hour requirements, the ‘Methley’ plum is a suitable choice. Its self-fertile nature and disease resistance make it a reliable option.
Conversely, the ‘Santa Rosa’ plum is an excellent selection for those who appreciate a balanced sweet-tart flavor and fruit versatility. Its higher chill hour requirement means it thrives in regions with more pronounced winter cold. While self-fertile, its fruit production significantly benefits from cross-pollination. The ‘Santa Rosa’ is also recognized for its large yields.