Plum variety Firefly
Firefly is a medium-ripening variety of Prunus domestica. Bred at the All-Russian Research Institute of Genetics and Breeding of Fruit Plants named after V.I. I.V. Michurina through crossing of 2 varieties - Eurasia 21 x Volga beauty... The authorship is assigned to G.A. Kursakov, L.E. Kursakova, G.G. Nikiforova and R.E. Bogdanov.
Photo: Victor Bratkin, Ryazan region
Since 2004, the variety has passed the state test. In 2012, it was approved for use in the Central Black Earth Region (Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Oryol, Tambov regions).
The trees are vigorous, reaching 5 meters in height. The crown is spreading, raised, oval in shape, of medium density. Shoots are thin, pubescent, straight, brownish-brown. Leaves are dark green, medium-sized, elongated, elliptical or obovate in shape; the edge of the leaf is framed by a crenate serration. The leaf blade is concave, with a smooth matte surface. Stipules are medium in size, fall early. Petioles are of medium size, pigmented. The flowers are medium in size, white in color.
Plum fruits Firefly are large (weighing 30 - 40 grams), broadly round in shape. The skin is thin, glabrous, greenish-yellow, with a slight waxy bloom, well separated from the fruit. The subcutaneous points are few in number, subtle, gray in color. The stalks are of medium thickness and length, well separated from the branches. The stone is smaller than average in size, it separates well from the pulp.
The pulp is yellow, dense, rather juicy, the taste is pleasant, sweet and sour (weak sourness). Tasting score - 4.3 - 4.5 points. The juice is colorless. The biochemical composition of the fruits is as follows: dry matter - 14.05%, the sum of sugars - 10.75 - 13%, acids - 0.97 - 1%, ascorbic acid - 3.52 - 6 mg / 100 g. Fruits for universal use: suitable for fresh consumption and for technical processing. The level of fruit transportability is average.
Photo: Victor Bratkin, Ryazan region
Trees bloom early. The fruits ripen in medium terms (from the end of July). The early fruiting rate is high: at the time of fruiting, the trees enter the age of 3-4 years.
The yields are plentiful, annual. The average yield is 112 c / ha. Indicators of winter hardiness and frost resistance are at a high level. Also, this plum is characterized by high heat and drought resistance. Medium resistant to most diseases and pests.
The main advantages of the Firefly plum include: large fruits with high taste, abundant annual harvests, high winter hardiness.
The disadvantages are practically not identified. True, among experienced gardeners from various regions, the question about the yield of the variety remains controversial: for some of them, productivity from year to year remains extremely low, the trees bloom, but practically do not bear fruit (only piece fruits are tied). This is presumably due to the lack of a suitable pollinator. After all, the parent variety Eurasia 21 has a similar pollination problem. However, such a problem does not arise at the variety testing site of the institute: after all, about 400 varieties of plums have been planted there, as a result of which the Firefly trees consistently yield 3-4 buckets of harvest. Precise pollinators have yet to be identified. Although, it is possible that the reasons for the low yield lie in the low frost resistance of flower buds.
Delicious and sweet fruits. The bone is well separated. Plum is suitable for preservation for the winter, both as a whole (compote in a jar) and in processing (jam, preserves). One of the favorite varieties of plums. We feed, we do not water too often. Pleases with a bountiful harvest!
I had this plum, but, unfortunately, it died. Or maybe this is for the best, because it gave a very small harvest. Yes, very tasty, large fruits, but for the sake of a few pieces is it worth keeping a whole tree? I have a small plot, and there is no extra space. Perhaps she lacked pollination, and it was my mistake that I planted only one tree. And our climate, Ivanovo, is not conducive to a good harvest from fruit crops. And last year, aphids attacked the plum, there was no harvest at all, and then it dried up. There is still some growth left from it, but I think I will not breed any more, since the climate of the more southern regions is better suited for this variety, it seems to me so.
We had this variety in our garden. I write "was" with great regret, because the fruits are very tasty, pleasant appearance (large), the yield is not bad ... No, the plum did not die after a poor wintering or from diseases - its frost resistance is excellent, and the pests are not affected more than others, they cut it down. Let me explain why - we have strong winds, and the plums on the tree are weak, so they fall massively (not only ripe, but also green).