safari star plum

• The Universe of Taste
• The Metis® brand
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• The Metis® Universe

The character of flavour

Biting a Metis® is the opportunity to discover new sensations. Each fruit has its own personality!

Discover which is your favourite!

Enjoy it, let yourself go!

Firm in hand, smooth and juicy inside! Its softness will make you forget everything you’ve tried before!

A Mix of sensations

Très juteux et rafraîchissant.

Metis® est plein de vie Son goût juteux et sa fraîcheur le rendent appétissant à tout moment. Sa peau fine est légèrement acidulée, lui apportant ainsi un subtil contraste de saveurs.

Juicy a source of freshness!

With almost 80% water content and subtle acidic skin, Metis® juice is a rich balance of contrasts!

crunchy you’ll want another!

Crisp and firm to the bite, before an explosion in the mouth. Because your Metis® hides juice well!

Surprising a trip of flavors!

Different varieties give unique flavors! Try them out and choose your favorite.

Sweet                                           It's a sweetness

We give our fruit more time in the tree than the average grower, giving a sweet maturity that will make you melt with pleasure.

A new fruit

12 Types Of Plums And What Makes Them Unique

Plums always pack a punch. With a sweet, fleshy inside and a tart, edible peel, these stone fruits are delightfully delicious, fresh, or dried as a standalone snack. They also add a zing to sweet and savory culinary creations alike. Desserts like  plum-lavender pie are a perfect way to round out dinner. And plums add depth and flavor to meatier dishes like pork chops. Closely a stone fruit relative, plums are high in fiber and vitamins, low in calories, and can be found in most supermarkets year-round (via Healthline ).

Hobby Farms  writes that plums were one of the first fruits ever domesticated by humans in China over 2,000 years ago. Today, most of the world's plums come from China , though they're available around the globe. While wild plums have been growing on the east coast of the United States since before settlers arrived in North America, most of the plums we eat today originated from the Japanese and European varieties (via Encyclopedia Britannica ).

You're probably familiar with a few varieties of plums available at most grocery stores. Still, you may be surprised to learn that there are dozens of different kinds of plums, each with a distinct color, shape, and flavor profile. In this article, we'll dig into plums that range from purple to yellow to deep crimson and span the spectrum of sweetness to reveal what makes each plum unique.

Damson Plum

There's a new superfood in town: the damson plum. Purple fruits like blackberries and blueberries are well-known superfoods because they contain a high concentration of compounds that greatly benefit the human body (via Everyday Health ). Damson plums have a color similar to blueberries. They are very high in nutrients, antioxidants, and anthocyanins, which have been linked to health benefits that include anti-cancer and anti-diabetic properties, according to the Riddet Institute. 

Ancient writings suggest that the damson plum was first cultivated in the region around Damascus and brought to Europe by the Romans, where it was used to make dye because of its deep purple skin, as reported by  Encyclopedia Britannica . Often overlooked in favor of other larger, sweeter varieties of plum, the damson is not usually eaten fresh off the tree because it has a slightly bitter, astringent flavor. But make no mistake, this sweet-sour flavor makes them perfect for jams, jellies, and desserts. They're also a popular choice for making a distinctive plum brandy called slivovitz, which is popular in Central and Eastern Europe and is often served after meals as a digestif (via Delighted Cooking ).

Mirabelle Plum

This  sweet French plum , almost impossible to find in the U.S., enjoys a star status in the Lorraine region of France — where the vast majority of these small, exceptionally sweet golden-yellow fruits are produced. And these tasty morsels are as elusive as they are delightful.  French Moments  classifies that they have a short harvest season that lasts only from mid-August through September, and once ripe; the mirabelle is difficult to transport because it has a soft, delicate body that bruises easily. In fact, these plums are so prized that the Lorrainian town of Metz throws a mirabelle Plum Festival for two days every August that attracts over 80,000 visitors a year and ends with the election of the Mirabelle Plum Queen (via France Voyage ). 

Though mirabelles are petite compared to other varieties, the trees are very productive, growing a high yield of fruit that ensures there will be leftovers after the queen is crowned (via Raintree Nursery ). This is good news because they're delicious for baking. mirabelle plum tarts, pies, cakes, and galettes are perfect ways to celebrate the end of summer — if you can get your hands on them.

Santa Rosa Plum

The Santa Rosa plum is named after its hometown of Santa Rosa, California. According to Good Fruit Grower , it was developed by famed horticulturist Luther Burbank, who crossed seeds that he imported from Japan with other plums to create a powerhouse fruit that dominated the commercial market in California from 1945 until the mid-1970s, when the Friar plum overtook it. 

The American Society for Horticultural Studies  writes that this plum was bred to have reddish flesh like a satsuma fruit with the density and acidity of an apricot. Still much beloved by growers, this variety has a sweet taste that is more orange along the edges and delightfully tart purple skin (via Arbor Day Foundation ). While Santa Rosas are great to eat fresh off the tree, you can also use them in sugary confections or take advantage of their sweet, tangy taste to balance out the flavor of a chicken tagine or a pork roast.

Persian Sour Plum

If the words "sour" and "crunchy" don't come to mind when you think of plums, you're certainly not alone. Plums are supposed to be sweet and soft, right? Not the Persian sour plum. As detailed by  Cricket Hill Garden , these tart and tiny morsels are usually picked before they're ripe and crunch like a crisp apple when you bite into them, although they eventually turn sweet and golden if left to ripen on the tree. 

The Persian sour is native to Iran and especially popular in the northern city of Tabriz, where they're often associated with the celebration of the Persian new year, which coincides with the Spring equinox, per Paradise Nursery . The Persian sour plum is mouthwateringly juicy, and as  Specialty Produce writes, it is often eaten from the tree with a dusting of salt, chili powder, or dipped in shrimp paste to round out the sour flavor profile. The famous little fruit also features heavily in favorites of northern Persian cuisine like Koofteh Tabrizi, which are meatballs cooked in a rich tomato sauce and stuffed with hard-boiled egg, herbs, spices, and, you guessed it: plums.

Chances are you're already acquainted with the friar plum whether you know it or not. They have deep red to black skin, a small pit, and tasty, sweet, golden-yellow flesh. Sound familiar? The friar is one of many Japanese plum varieties, which according to Encyclopedia Britannica , are generally known to have a longer shelf life than their European counterparts. Friars are more plump and juicy and bloom earlier

With a hearty body, a long growing season, and crack-resistant skin, friar plums are very attractive to commercial growers, per  Dave Wilson Nursery . In fact, in the 1980s, the friar overtook the Santa Rosa plum as the most popular plum in California, which produces over 90% of the plums grown in the United States (via the  University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources ). That means they're easy to find in the produce aisle at most supermarkets, which is great news because these large, hearty plums make a perfect snack when they're eaten fresh and can also be canned or made into jam.

Greengage Plum

If you've got a sweet tooth, you need to look no further than the greengage plum. On the Brix scale, which measures the sugar content of the fruit, the greengage scores a whopping 30-38, meaning that the water inside is about 40% sugar per Minnetonka Orchards . And don't be deceived by the green skin, which makes this smaller-than-average variety look unripe to the untrained eye. In a piece for The New York Times , journalist David Karp wrote that, during his childhood, he "would pluck as many as I could, and their syrupy sweetness inspired a rapture that has haunted me ever since, though the tree died long ago." 

Originally descended from the Reine-Claude Doree, a sugary French plum fit for a queen , the greengage was named after gardener Sir William Gage, who cultivated the fruit when it was brought to his native England. After making its way to North America in the 18th century, it fell out of favor because soft fruits are delicate and difficult to transport. Today, only a handful of orchards in the United States produce green Gages, according to The Los Angeles Times . If you're lucky enough to come upon a greengage, don't even think about making it into a jam or a pie. These rare, syrupy treats are best enjoyed fresh off the tree.

Satsuma Plum

The satsuma is one of several varieties of "blood plum," so called because the tart, reddish-purple peel encases juicy, ruby-red flesh (via  Fruit Salad Trees ). It was originally given the somewhat spooky name "The Blood Plum of Satsuma," but there's no reason to be squeamish regarding this plump, juicy fruit. The UC Davis College of Agriculture  writes that satsumas were originally imported to California from Yokohama, Japan, in the late 1800s, and they thrive in the state's temperate southern region because of an aversion to cold temperatures. Because of their popularity and abundance, these plums are easy to find in the United States, where they are available at many grocery stores or online from sites like Fresh Direct . 

If you're planning on dessert, you can make a plum cake on the grill , and using satsumas adds an extra splash of color that makes this sweet treat look particularly appetizing. It's also never a mistake to eat a satsuma plum straight off the tree, although you should think about having a napkin handy as the deep red juice dribbling down your chin can leave you looking like a vampire.

Myrobalan Plum

The myrobalan is not the kind of plum you're used to. While most plums we buy from the supermarket today are Japanese or European varieties, these small, tart fruits are native to Western China and the Caucasus (via Minnetonka Orchards ). They were cultivated in the region for hundreds of years but have fallen out of favor for commercial growing because of their small size and low flesh-to-pit ratio. In fact, they're sometimes called cherry plums because they're hardly larger than the average cherry. 

While they might be hard to find at the store, you can often find myrobalans growing on the side of the road or on the edge of a forest, where they're planted as ornamental trees and prized for their beautiful flowers, according to Food Forest . Each tree produces a huge amount of fruit, and if you can get your hands on a couple of pounds of these tart, round, yellow fruits, they're great for making a cherry plum wine, as well as jams and syrups. Per  Flora Obscura , they still figure heavily in Georgian cuisine, used in soups, stews, and sauces. 

Victoria Plum

God Save the Victoria plum! Named in honor of Her Majesty the Queen of England, this egg-shaped plum is the most common variety in the United Kingdom, per Orange Pippin . Introduced in the 1840s, the Victoria plum now enjoys an iconic status in the United Kingdom, where it is widely grown commercially and in private gardens. 

But buyer beware:  Gardening Know How  reports that the Victoria plums found in the produce section of grocery stores are often sold before they are fully ripe when they boast a distinctive orange-pink hue the color of a sunset. An unripe plum isn't a problem if you're planning on using them to make jam, a popular use for these softly colored beauties. Slightly unripe fruits are higher in pectin and natural acid, so you don't need to use lemon juice or jam sugar to help the jam set. And it's only natural to use Victoria plum jam for another royally named British delicacy: the Victoria Sandwich. However, if you're planning on enjoying these fresh plums, look for those with dark, reddish-purple skin.

The sloe plum is not for the faint of heart. Also known as blackthorns, these small, dark fruits aren't usually eaten off the tree because they have a strong astringent taste, and, according to House Digest , they contain amygdalin, which can be toxic to humans in large doses. But what they lack in sweetness, they make up for in legend and lore. In the telling of Irish folktales, fairies reside in blackthorn bushes . 

There are, however, many uses for the Sloe plum beyond spooky campfire stories. The thorny bushes that produce sloe plums are often used as hedges in gardens and bloom with beautiful, creamy-white flowers in the spring and, per alternative sites like  Health From Nature , the sloe plum can "have a soothing and relaxing effect on stomach inflammations."  Rochelt , an artisanal Tyrolean distillery in the Austrian Alps, makes a sloe plum fruit brandy, and its tart, tangy flavor profile makes them perfect for jellies, syrups, and liqueurs. In some regions in France, they're pickled like olives and eaten out of the jar.

Wild Goose Plum

Put on your boots and grab your basket because these rare little plums are almost exclusively collected in the wild. Native to midwestern North America, the wild goose plum was one of several wild plums cultivated by indigenous people east of the Mississippi River before the arrival of European settlers, per the blog Indigenous Landscapes . 

Per  Oikos , this small, sweet plum has yellow flesh and thick skin that ranges from maroon to orangey pink. Wild goose plum trees yield very little fruit, and if you do happen to find some, they're not best eaten off the tree because the skin is usually quite bitter. That said, these rare gems strike a combination of tart and sweet that makes for a perfectly balanced jam, though there's not enough of them to serve grilled or in other fresh preparations. Some people believe that the compounds found in this rare little plum have medicinal properties ranging from stimulating respiration to improving digestion (via Natural Medicinal Herbs ).

French Prune Plum

The humble prune has a less-than-glamorous reputation in the United States. But it's about time that changed because, according to WebMD , prunes have high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties in addition to their well-known fiber content that aids in digestion. Enter the French Prune plum. 

Before the invention of the refrigerator in France, these dark purple plums were dried to provide people with sugary, nutritious snacks that provided a burst of energy during the winter months (via Trees of Antiquity ). In fact, they were so sought after that prunes were used to bargain wages in the 15th century. French prune trees were brought to California during the Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, where they continue to thrive to this day. Although these famed French fruits are perfect for making dried prunes with which to top salads, eat as a snack, or turn into a dessert, they are also sweet enough to be eaten right off the tree. And, while they work perfectly for baking sweet treats, the most fun use of French prunes might be fermenting them into a delightfully tangy liqueur (via  Minnetonka Orchards ).

If I can do it, you can do it!

Star Apple How to Eat It And What does it Taste Like

Another tasty tropical fruit to share with you. The Star Apple , also known as the cainito, caimito, star plum, tar apple, milk fruit, golden leaf tree, and a few other names, is a wonderful fruit.

I love learning about and trying new fruits as well as talking about some of my favorite fruits. The star apple is a fruit I am very fond of. And I used to eat them many years ago when I was living in the Philippines for a few years.

In this article, you will learn where the star apple comes from and where it grows, what the health benefits are, how to eat it, and what they taste like. Of course, taste is subjective, so I will describe what they taste like to me. Now, on to the information!

Where does the star apple come from and where does it grow?

The star apple is part of the Sapote or Sapotaceae family and comes in mainly two colors, purple and green. It is a tropical tree that is native to the West Indies and the Greater Antilles. Despite the name, it isn’t an apple.

They spread and are not grown in many places throughout the tropics and subtropics. Places like India, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Central America, Jamaica, Cuba, and many other places.

A fast-growing tree, it can reach heights of over 20 feet, and grows very well from seed. If grown from seed the Star Apple tree can produce fruit in as few as 4 years. That is extremely fast.

But if you buy a sapling from the nursery that was grafted onto rootstock or propagated from a branch, it can grow fruit in as few as 1 to 2 years after planting.

They grow here in the United States as well, in Hawaii, Florida, and Southern Texas. And hobbyists can even grown them here in AZ and Southern California. As long as there are warm/hot temps in the summer and the temp average doesn’t get below 35 or 40 F.

The ones I buy are usually grown in the US, probably coming from Florida, and are pretty expensive. The last time I bought them they were $9.99/lb which is insane. They grow everywhere like on the side of the road in the Philippines. And are pretty much free to pick, haha.

So if you like them and live in the warm parts of the US or around the world, consider planting them.

What are the health benefits of cainito fruit?

The star apple has many health benefits:

• Help to improve digestive health. They contain a good amount of fiber.
• High in Vitamin C
• Helps control Diabetes. The fiber helps keep the blood sugar under control.
• Rich in antioxidants
• Helps to prevent iron deficiency anemia

There are a few other health benefits as well. For more health benefits visit this article .

How to eat the Star Apple?

Make sure to wash the outside of the fruit. Then cut along the equator of it. The stem being the top. Cut in about half of an inch or so and then go around it.

Now you can take your hands and gently pull it apart, revealing the star pattern. As well as the seeds. The number of seeds will vary but usually 5 to 10 fairly good sized seeds will be in each fruit.

A few thing to not. The Star Apple skin contains a sticky latex substance in it, so don’t eat the skin. The seeds aren’t edible as well. Only the white milky flesh and the rubbery membrane that surrounds the seeds is eaten.

Commonly the inside is scooped out with a spoon and then eaten fresh. Some people would also just forgo the spoon and just bit into the middle. Someone recommended that if you do that, to put a little oil on your lips to prevent them from getting too sticky from the latex in the skin. I always use a spoon, haha.

While commonly eaten fresh as is it is also used in ice cream and sherbet. Occasionally it is made into preserves as well.

What does star apple taste like?

Now time to describe the taste. First off the flesh is extremely juicy. The membrane around the seeds reminds me texture-wise of squid, but not as rubbery or chewy.

The taste of the star apple reminds me of a mix of a watered-down sweetened condensed milk, a hint of blueberry flavor and texture, and a hint of lychee or rambutan. Again taste is very subjective. It tastes like a star apple, lol.

Unfortunately only about a third of the fruit is actually eaten. The rest can just be composted or thrown away. And, don’t forget to plant those seeds if you want.

And that is the Star Apple, a delicious tropical and subtropical fruit. Enjoy!

Now watch the video where I talk all about it!

Here are some other fruits and recipes you may enjoy:

Papaya How to Eat it and Taste test

Jackfruit How to Cut and Eat it

How to Eat Kumquats

How to eat Star Fruit

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Matt Taylor

YouTuber and food blogger with a passion for cooking, eating, being outdoors and watching movies. Did you know I wrote an ebook cookbook called "All Things Chocolate: 30 of my favorite chocolate recipes."? Help support the food blog and YouTube channel by buying a copy in my shop. :)

Have you tried African star apple? I’m sure you’d like it.

No I haven’t! If I ever find it, I will definitely try it.

I love learning about foods that are new to me! I will be on the lookout for these at the store. Thank you!

You are welcome! 🙂 Chances are you won’t find them at a local supermarket. But if you ever shop at an Asian/International supermarket, that is where I find mine.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a star fruit at my local grocery store, but I’ll have to look for one in the bigger city sometime. My kids love trying exotic fruits, and my daughter would love seeing the star pattern in the middle!

Hi Kara! Star fruit and star apple are two different fruits. 🙂 But yes, these aren’t normally found in a local grocery store. The only place I have found them is at the Asian Market about 25 minutes away from me.

Sneaky little fruit with the name, haha! I am loving learning about all of these different types of food. Thanks for sharing.

You are welcome, Jen! Glad you like the fruit posts, haha.

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Metis is a plum with a touch of apricot , distributed by Granfrutta Zani. Its juiciness and freshness make it suitable at any time in the day, after meals or as a snack.

METIS PLUMS

• thin and slightly acid skin
• crispy and sweet flesh
• available when fully ripe

The Metis brand is granted to four groups of plums having special sensorial features. Each one of them offers taste and sweetness guaranteed by the selection of the best fruit in each family.

• OXY SOLAR – Delicious and healthy, available from june to ottobre
• SAFARI STAR – Exotic and delicious, available from june to september
• DARK MOON – Scented and tasty, available from august to september
• SUNSET SKY – Fresh and regenerating, available from august to november.

Discover also:

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Finding the Tastiest Fruit in UK

Blog: Plums – What to Expect

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Plums are a fruit that can be so delicious that you want to keep eating them. At best, they are sweet, succulent, juicy and full of flavour: a delight to eat. However, all too often plums are disappointing, which is a pity. To an extent, this is because retailers try to keep plums on the shelf all year round, but ensuring they are at the best maturity for eating is the biggest issue, while the array of plum types and varieties on sale can be confusing for shoppers.

To get the best of plums throughout the year, it helps to understand the types and varieties, the seasons, how to buy them and how to care for them at home.

Plum Types and Varieties :

There are basically two main types of plums: European plums ( Prunus domestica ) and Japanese plums ( Prunus salicina ).

European Plums : These include well-known varieties such as Victoria, Marjorie’s Seedling and Opal , which usually have purple or red coloured skin; soft-textured, juicy, sweet flesh and can be elongated in shape. These are the plums that we most associate with summer: home-grown; delicious; with quite short seasons (August to mid-September); poor for storing, so suddenly arriving in the shops, we enjoy them, then they are gone.

The origin of European plums has been traced to the Caucasian mountains and Caspian Sea region.

Other very seasonal European plum types are sold during the same summer period. These include Greengages , Damsons and Mirabelle plums. Damsons are for jam and gin; greengages are in particular prized for their fabulous honey-sweetness; while the small yellow or red Mirabelle plum, rarely seen in UK supermarkets (occasionally in M&S), is sweet, but mostly used for preserving.

Elizabeth plums are occasionally sold in the winter. This is a marketing name for a number of European plum varieties grown in southern hemisphere countries.

European plums ( Prunus domestica ) – key varieties:

• Prunus domestica ssp. intermedia g. Victoria, Jubileum ;
• Greengages ( Prunus domestica ssp. italica ) e.g. Reine Claude , Cambridge ;
• Red Gages ( Prunus domestica ssp. italica ) e.g. Ferblue, RedOne ;
• Damsons ( Prunus domestica ssp. insititia ) e.g. Shropshire Prune ;
• Mirabelle plums ( Prunus domestica ssp. syriaca ) e.g. Mirabelle de Nancy ;
• Elizabeth e.g. D’Agen, Sugar Prune, Van der Merwe .

Japanese Plums : The main plum type on supermarket shelves is the so called Japanese plum. This has a round shape; medium to large size; red, black or yellow skin; yellow or red flesh; and a preference for warm growing conditions. Many varieties can be stored for several weeks, so are well suited to commercial development around the world, hence the dominance of Japanese plums in supermarkets: there is one or other of them on sale throughout the year.

Due to differences in variety, maturity and seasonality, the eating experience of Japanese plums varies hugely from absolutely wonderful to very poor, much more so than European plums.

Japanese plums actually originated in China, but arrived in California, where most modern varieties have been bred, via Japan.

Included within the Japanese plum types are new hybrid varieties, mainly Pluots and Plumcots , that result from crosses between plums and apricots.  Plumegranates and Watermelon plums are other marketing names used to distinguish between various skin appearance and flesh colour combinations of new varieties.

Japanese plums ( Prunus salicina ) – key varieties:

• Red e.g. African Rose, Sapphire , Purple Majesty, Ruby Sun , Fortune, Laetitia, African Delight, Ruby Star;
• Red with red flesh e. Ruby Red ; Ruby Crisp;
• Black e.g. Black Diamond, Black Splendor, Angeleno, Larry Ann;
• Yellow e.g. Sunkiss, Songold, African Pride;
• Pluots (25% apricot and 75 % plum) e.g. Dapple Dandy; Flavorking, Flavorosa, Flavorfall, Rose Sweet;
• Plumcots (50 % apricot and 50% plum) – none in the market at the moment;
• Plum trade mark as Plumegranates e.g. Marco ;

Similar to apricots, peaches and nectarines, seasonality has a big influence on eating quality of plums.

Early season varieties are light in texture, flavour and sweetness, though can be delicious. Mid-season varieties generally have the best eating quality, while late varieties, having hung on the trees for longer, can often be quite dense, sometimes crispy, though usually very sweet.

These seasonal differences are most noticeable with the many Japanese plums which stretch over long seasons of production. European plums can also be variable in eating quality, but it is less noticeable due to the short season and storage potential.

Plums by Seasonality – key varieties:

• Early: Sapphire, Purple Majesty, Ruby Sun;
• Mid-season: African Pride Fortune, Flavorking, Black Diamond, Ruby Crisp;

The timing of harvest has the greatest impact on the final eating experience of plums. For each variety, there is an ideal timing of harvest that allows for transport and sales (up to 6-7 weeks from southern hemisphere countries), while allowing the plum to ripen properly for the customer.

Unfortunately, some importers like to receive harder plums to allow more time for sales, which can reduce potential eating quality.

In theory, because the markets are close-by, Mediterranean plums are harvested when more mature to give better sweetness and flavour. However, this is not always the case: supermarkets have a big influence on this issue, so their focus on the harvest parameters is very important in managing the final eating quality.

Buying Plums :

• Seasons : Be aware of the seasons, so you know what to expect. For example, in April/May and October/November, the main plum variety on sale is Angelino , a late, cheap variety with dense, almost crisp flesh (see chart).
• Punnets : the cheapest plums are in punnets, often at very good prices. These are usually the smallest calibres and unripened. They can be good to eat, but need to left in the fruit bowl to soften. Depending on the retailer, these may be ‘traded’ fruit, so more about price than eating quality, and can be hit-and-miss as to whether they will ripen properly. The more quality-focused supermarkets may ripen the punnet fruit before it goes on sale.

• Loose plums : Many supermarkets offer the option of loose plums. These are usually the larger calibres and the most expensive choice, so should be reliably good, though are not necessarily pre-ripened.

Early and mid-season Japanese plums need to feel significantly soft to be good to eat. This essentially means putting them in a fruit bowl at room temperature and waiting for them to soften (sometimes for over a week).

It is easy to be impatient and not wait long enough, but look for a darkening of the skin colour and a sense that the softening flesh is extending to the stone. There may even be a little wrinkling of the skin around the stalk cavity, which is normally a sign of eating maturity. The plum may also have a nice aroma indicating that it is ready for eat.

At this stage, the plum should be soft, sweet and juicy with lovely flavour. From any one punnet, there will always be some that ripen faster than others, so check them all each time and take the most mature to eat.

Late varieties of Japanese plums, such as Angelino , are not going to achieve significant softness in the same way. These will keep in a fruit bowl for quite a while, and, as they have hung on the tree for so long, will remain quite firm, with good sweetness.

The same principle applies to European plums, but under-ripeness isn’t such an issue due to the short shelf-life.

Plums can be stored in the fridge, but this will slow ripening considerably.

Plum Quality :

Common problems with plums:

• Plum remains hard and sour : If, after a week in a fruit bowl, the plums are still firm and have not sweetened, they were probably harvested too early and will never ripen properly.
• The plum is tastless with limited sweetness : This may be a problem of the variety, especially those of very early season, though is more often due to the fruit being harvested before properly mature.
• The flesh around the stone is bitter : The fruit is not quite ripe enough for best eating quality.
• Skin wrinkles around the base : A small amount of wrinkling can be a good sign of maturity, but too much wrinkling is a sign of poor handling and storage which may affect the eating quality of the fruit.
• Flesh is lacking in juice or succulence : If the plum seems soft, but the flesh is dry, pappy or juiceless, there has been a problem with age, maturity or long storage.
• Flesh appears to be discoloured and brown : This is often associated with poor juice content and is another sign of maturity and storage problems.
• Flesh appears translucent : Yellow or dappled plums can sometimes seem translucent, which is a sign of advanced ripeness, often still with good eating quality.
• Flesh is crunchy : The plum may be a late season variety which tend to have dense flesh after a long growing season, but may also be a fruit that has been harvested too soon to ripen properly. Late season plums may be dense, but should be sweet.

©Good Fruit Guide 2018. Information and data published on www.goodfruitguide.co.uk must not be reproduced or copied without permission of the editor. Recommendations on fruit varieties and types with the very best taste are personal to the editor of Good Fruit Guide, and do not attempt to be exhaustive or supported by verifiable consumer research.  The highlighting of fruit with the very best taste in the opinion of the editor is not intended as a judgement on the taste of varieties and types of fruit not mentioned.

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Royal Star is a high quality plum that is harvested at the end of the season, ripening in late March-early April. There is no other plum ...Read More in the market at this time. The fruit is very large, purble/black in appearance, red flesh, sweet and juicy. Let's get back to preserving and bottling our fruit, making plum sauce and jam, stewing and keeping healthy by just eating the fruit raw in season. Hardworking New Zealanders Mike and Julie Russell of MJ & JJ Russell Limited, Hastings, NZ transformed their land twenty years ago into one of New Zealand’s biggest and best plum orchards, taking out an award for the industries 'Grower of the Year' for plums in 2011 and 2013.

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Stella's Star plum trees

• Check pollinators >
• Picking season: Mid
• Self-fertility: Self-fertile
• Flowering group: 3

Stella's Star plum trees for sale

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

• PG1 2-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree VVA-1 rootstock £ 63.50 Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• PG2 2-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree St. Julien rootstock £ 62.00 Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• BR1 1-year bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £ 39.75 Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• BR2 2-year bush-trained bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £ 48.50 Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• BR3 2-year half-standard bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £ 51.00 Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

You can pre-order now, deliveries start in September.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95. It is calculated when you add trees to your basket, based on your postcode.

Fill in the form below and we will notify you when Stella's Star plum trees are back in stock.

If you do not hear from us by February you can contact us in the spring to pre-order for the autumn.

A self-fertile mid-season green gage, developed recently in the UK.

Stella's Star has a mild gage-like flavour, and sets fruit far more readily than most gages.

How to grow

Stella's Star is a self-fertile green gage, well-suited to the climate of southern and central UK.

This is a naturally precocious variety, fruiting from a younger age than is usual with most gages.

Fruiting can be prolific which can in turn lead to small fruit size, so it is worth trying to thin the fruitlets in May as this will increase the size and improve flavour of the remaining fruits.

Advice on fruit tree pollination .

Developed in the 1990s by Hector Harrison, an amateur English plant breeder, and named after his daughter.

Stella's Star characteristics

• Gardening skill Beginner
• Self-fertility Self-fertile
• Flowering group 3
• Pollinating others Average
• Climate suitability Temperate climates Warm climates
• Picking season Mid
• Cropping Good
• Keeping (of fruit) 1-3 days
• Food uses Eating fresh Culinary
• Disease resistance Average

Identification

• Blossom colour White
• Fruit colour Green - light

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Lamy Safari Al-Star - Pluma estilográfica, grafito, extrafina

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La estrella Limy AL-star está hecha de aluminio ligero y duradero y diseñada según especificaciones exigentes. Este bolígrafo está diseñado para sentirse bien en tu mano.

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Eucomis ‘Safari Adventure’

• Bi Colored Blooms,
• Tropical Look,
• Hardy zones 6-9

(Pineapple Lily) Add a tropical look to your garden with Eucomis ‘Safari Adventure’. This beautiful pineapple lily features deep olive green foliage with hints of burgundy. As the flower emerges the foliage lightens in color. Late summer deep plum flower spikes emerge, opening to star-shaped, bottle brush blooms. The flowers start off a creamy white and deepen to a rich plum as the flowers age. Standing up to 36 inches tall and 48 inches wide (smaller in cooler climates), Eucomis ‘Safari Adventure’ is best suited for full sun to part shade locations with fertile soil. Hardy in zones 6-9, Pineapple lilies attract butterflies to the garden. Like other late season bloomers, Eucomis ‘Safari Adventure’ will be late to emerge in the spring so be patient. These easy to grow tropical looking flowers are great for cuttings, containers, and make a great focal point in the garden.

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Tree Characteristics

Fruit characteristics.

• Back to Plums

JD Van Deventer's  Kwekery/Nursery

Cultivar;  Flavor Star 

Clone Number;  S 610                                                                              

Origin; ARC

Royalties/ Levies; R 8.00 Production royalty: R0.47/kg fruit

Yield; 30 tons per hectare

Fruit use; fresh

Type; Japanese plum, cling stone

Shelf-life; very good, 35 days at -0.5C

Water requirements; water to a depth of 609mm every 14-21 days 

Sun requirements; 6 to 8 hours per day

Chill hours; 400 to 600

Pruning; prune in early spring or summer on a dry day to prevent water-borne pathogens from infecting your trees. Prune only when absolutely necessary- such as to remove dead branches, diseased sections and to shape the tree in it's initial years. Apply a pruning paint to help seal the cut.

soil requirements; a well-draining soil type with a pH of 6 to 7 is best. Sandy or clay soils must be avoided at all costs.

Soil depth; at least 600mm is recommended

Fertiliser requirements; be careful not to over fertilise young trees. Plums less than 3 years old should be given minimal fertiliser. Trees older than 3 years can be given fertiliser after bud break. 10-10-10 fertilisers and zinc foliar sprays are best.

Pollination requirements; Like most plum varieties, it needs a pollinator.

Successful test-crosses; Needs both Fortune and Songold

Bloom time; August

Harvest time; January

Vigour;  not enough data

Size and shape; semi-upright

Tree age;  will start fruiting around year 3 to 5.

Average life span;  plums have a short life span in colder regions, but generally live for 15- 25 productive years depending on the rootstock used.

Susceptibility to pests and diseases; normal

General notes; 

Words and phrases

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star plum noun

• Hide all quotations

What does the noun star plum mean?

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun star plum . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.

Where does the noun star plum come from?

Earliest known use

The earliest known use of the noun star plum is in the 1830s.

OED's earliest evidence for star plum is from 1830, in the writing of J. D. Maycock.

star plum is formed within English, by compounding.

Etymons: star n. 1 , plum n.

Nearby entries

• star-nosed mole, n. 1825–
• starn-shot, n. 1513–1813
• starn-slime, n. ?c1475–
• starny, adj. c1500–
• star of Bethlehem, n. 1573–
• starosta, n. 1591–
• starosty, n. 1681–
• starover, n. 1762–
• star pagoda, n. 1741–
• star pepper, n. 1862–66
• star plum, n. 1830–
• star point, n. 1901–
• star press, n. 1819–
• star primula, n. 1897–
• star prize, n. 1879–
• star projector, n. 1925–
• star-proof, adj. 1645–
• star pulley, n. 1836–
• star quad, n. 1927–
• starquake, n. 1969–
• star-queen, n. 1818–53

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Meaning & use

Entry history for star plum, n..

Originally published as part of the entry for star, n.¹

star, n.¹ was revised in June 2016.

oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:

• further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
• new senses, phrases, and quotations.

Earlier versions of this entry were published in:

OED First Edition (1915)

• Find out more

OED Second Edition (1989)

• View star, n.¹ in OED Second Edition

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Citation details

Factsheet for star plum, n., browse entry.

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The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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The WNBA season is getting underway featuring Caitlin Clark's debut and more. Here's what you need to know.

By Rishikesh Rajagopalan

May 14, 2024 / 5:30 AM EDT / CBS News

The WNBA is poised to blow the whistle on its 28th season Tuesday night. From the juggernaut Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty to new marquee talent like Caitlin Clark taking the floor, the league is growing faster than ever. Here's what you need to know.

What to watch opening night

There will be four games played Tuesday night:

• The New York Liberty vs. the Washington Mystics 
• The Indiana Fever vs. the Connecticut Sun 
• The Phoenix Mercury vs. the Las Vegas Aces
• The Minnesota Lynx vs. the Seattle Storm

2023 MVP Breanna Stewart joined the Liberty in free agency last February after playing her first seven years in Seattle. Joining a core cast of Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney and Courtney Vandersloot, Stewart led the Liberty to the finals, where they fell to the Las Vegas Aces.

The Fever are bringing rookie phenom Caitlin Clark to Connecticut, where tickets have already sold out at the Mohegan Sun Arena – the first home opener to sell out in over 20 years, the team said in a press release . Clark became college basketball's all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader in March and, after being selected at the top of the 2024 draft, has big expectations heading into her first season.

While Clark is the new kid in town, the Las Vegas Aces are the big kids. The team won its second championship in a row last year, beating the Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the series despite missing multiple starting players. Even with hoop legend Candace Parker's retirement , the Aces still have stars in spades, returning two-time MVP A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray.

The Phoenix Mercury will be without star Brittney Griner, the team announced Monday , after the center fractured a toe on her left foot. Griner missed all of the 2022 season due to her months-long detainment in a Russian prison on drug charges.

The Storm have passed on from the Breanna Stewart era, clocking in third on CBS Sports' power rankings (Behind the Aces and Liberty). The team acquired forward Nneka Ogwumike and guard Skylar Diggins-Smith in free agency to assist the league's leading scorer, Jewell Lloyd.

The opening night slate will be available to watch on ESPN networks, with select games streaming on ESPN+, Disney+, and the WNBA League Pass. The rest of the season will be televised across CBS, ESPN, ABC, ION, Prime Video, and NBATV.

Regular season play continues until late September, with the All-Star game scheduled for July 20 in Phoenix. The WNBA will pause play after the All-Star game until August 15 this year so the athletes can compete with their respective national teams in the Summer Olympics.

Growing the game

With the groundwork laid by the WNBA's previous stars and the addition of exciting new talent like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, more eyes are on the league than ever before. This year has seen a significant uptick in investment in the women's league. 

The WNBA consists of only 12 teams, with 12 roster spots per team – it isn't uncommon for a drafted player to get cut from the final roster just weeks later. The Los Angeles Sparks, who drafted Brink and Jackson with top five picks, waived the 28th overall pick McKenzie Forbes on Sunday.

Luckily for players on the bubble, the WNBA is expanding for the first time since 2008. League Commissioner Cathy Englebert announced in October that the Golden State Warriors were awarded a WNBA team for 2025 — the Golden State Valkyries . On Friday, CBC Sports reported that Toronto would be next, receiving an expansion team for 2026. 

"It's complex because you need arena and practice facility and player housing and all the things, you need committed long-term ownership groups. The nice thing is we're getting a lot of calls," Englebert said during a pre-draft press conference last month, adding that she was confident the league could grow to 16 teams by 2028.

Along with expanded job opportunities, WNBA players will be receiving expanded benefits previously reserved for their male counterparts. The league announced a charter flight partnership with Delta Air Lines last week so players will no longer have to fly to games on commercial airlines.

"I express my appreciation and support for a bold move by the commissioner and team governors that in turn shows that they understand and value the health and safety of the players. It is time to be transformational. It's time to bet on women," WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike said in a press release .

While Clark and the Fever were seen enjoying themselves on a charter flight to Connecticut Monday, personnel from multiple teams told ESPN they had not heard from the league about when they would be permitted to charter.

The increasing investment in the WNBA isn't just internal - the rising profile of the league has brought sponsorship opportunities to athletes as well. Clark reportedly signed a $28 million endorsement deal with Nike, which announced a forthcoming signature shoe with A'Ja Wilson – the first Black woman to headline a signature shoe with the company since Sheryl Swoopes in 2002.

Kim Kardashian's shapewear brand SKIMS unveiled an underwear campaign Monday to celebrate its blockbuster partnership with the league featuring Candace Parker, Cameron Brink, Dijonai Carrington, Kelsey Plum and Skylar Diggins-Smith. The collaboration is SKIMS' first to feature female players. The company, valued at $4 billion by Forbes , also has partnerships with the NBA and Team USA.

• Women's Basketball
• Caitlin Clark

Rishi Rajagopalan is a social media associate producer and content writer for CBS News.

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