17The wide variety of plum trees we chose to plant 5 years ago means we have fresh plums all summer long, from June to September. These various types of “prunus domestica” ripen at different times of the summer, some produce more fruit than others and they differ noticeably in flavour and colour.

In June we enjoy the first of the juicy, yellow Sorriso di Primavera. At the beginning of August we have the sweet, green Regina Claudia, and in September we pick the Anna Spath &Stanley, both purple, firm and delicious.

The other varieties we selected to grow are Shiro, Black Amber, Ruthgerstetter, Sangue di Drago, Susina Damascina and Fortune.

THE HISTORY OF THE PLUM

The plum tree originates in central Asia and belongs to the botanical family Rosaceae, order Rosales, subgenus Prunoideae, genus Prunus.

The plum arrived in Greece in 400 BC after the Greek Persian war and quickly gained popularity as it spread rapidly throughout Europe and further afield.

In the Roman Age, plums were also valued for their well-known diuretic and cooling properties.

Ovid and Virgil had already made mention of the plum, while Pliny the Elder spoke of how much the purple plum from Damascus was enjoyed in Rome. He described no less than 12 different varieties.

KEEP COOL ON THE MOVE

Consisting of 88% water, the plum is a particularly thirst-quenching fruit. It is an excellent source of depuratives like potassium, calcium and phosphorus, and along with its high sugar, magnesium and fibre content, it is a valuable panacea against the hottest summer days.