Snow White Plum: Description of the variety with photos, planting and care, reviews

Snow White is a frost-resistant variety Chinese plum, bred specifically for regions with harsh climates. The tree is small and attracts attention with its decorative early blooms. The plums have a vibrant color, tender flesh, and a pleasant sweet flavor. The fruits are versatile: suitable for fresh consumption and home processing. With proper care, bountiful harvests are guaranteed.

Snow White plum

Description of the variety

Snow White is the result of targeted selection conducted by K.K. Mullaianov. The scientist sought to create a variety resistant to the harsh winters of Siberia and the Urals without losing its flavor or appearance.

The crop received its name due to the light color of the plums with a characteristic white coating that appears when fully ripe.

The tree is frost-resistant, yet sensitive to care: with regular care, it produces large plums and increases productivity. The plant reaches 2-2.5 m in height, and its spreading crown does not exceed 4 m in diameter. Annual shoot growth is approximately 50 cm.

Distinctive features of the variety:

leaves - elongated, dark green, with a smooth glossy surface;
plums – round configuration;
skin – thin;
main color – light yellow, with a dense white waxy coating;
weight - reaches 30 g with moderate load on the branches: the fewer ovaries, the larger the fruits.

Flowering is early, even before the leaves appear, and snow-white flowers are formed on shortened peduncles.

Characteristics

Belosnezhka is a mid-season plum: the fruits reach full maturity by the last ten days of July or early August. Fruiting begins in the third or fourth year after planting a one-year-old seedling. With proper cultivation practices, the trees show consistent productivity – 20 to 30 kg per plant.

This variety is not self-pollinating, so the presence of suitable pollinators is essential for a successful harvest. Best results are achieved when planted with early- and mid-season cherry plum varieties or other Chinese plums.

Landing

When planting a garden with the Snow White variety, it's important to consider a number of agronomic nuances that directly impact the seedling's survival, development, and future productivity.

Basic planting recommendations:

Place Select a site on elevated ground to prevent waterlogging and root stagnation. The site should be sunny, protected from drafts and northerly winds. The ideal soil type is neutral loam with good air and water permeability.
If necessary, lime the soil or loosen it by adding sand.
Seedling Choose a plant with a well-developed root system. The roots should be 30 cm long, with numerous small shoots, and no thickenings, growths, or damage. When cut, the root should be light-colored and vibrant. A sign of the correct variety is the characteristic yellowish-green shoots.
One- and two-year-old trees purchased from specialized nurseries are optimal.

Plum trees can be planted in either spring or fall. Prepare the soil in advance: add lime if the soil is highly acidic, or sand if the soil is heavy.

Planting stages:

Fill the dug hole with nutrient substrate: fill a third of the hole with a mixture of humus, superphosphate and potassium fertilizers, mix thoroughly with the soil and form a mound in the center.
Place the seedling, carefully spreading out the roots, and cover them with soil.
Firm the soil and water well.
Mulch the surface with humus to retain moisture and protect the root system from temperature changes.

You can learn about all the nuances of planting plums and their successful cultivation. Here.

Care

Agricultural practices require a systematic approach: adherence to them determines both the tree's viability and its ability to produce a full harvest each year. Despite its claimed frost resistance, the plant is sensitive to a lack of attention during the growing season.

Basic care measures:

Watering Watering should be moderate and regular, especially during the flowering and fruiting phases. Stagnant moisture, especially in areas without drainage, causes root rot.

Loosening The soil under the tree requires constant watering to prevent a dense crust from forming. After irrigation or rain, it's helpful to mulch the root zone with humus, straw, or compost—this will retain moisture and improve the soil structure.
Trimming Carry out pruning in early spring: prune out dry, frozen, and thickening branches. Formative pruning maintains the crown's compactness and ventilation, which positively impacts fruiting and disease prevention.

Top dressing are important for abundant fruiting. The crop responds favorably to them. The optimal scheme:
- in the spring – nitrogen fertilizers (urea, saltpeter) stimulate the growth of green mass and shoots;
- during the period of budding and fruit setting – complex compositions with potassium and phosphorus support crop formation;
- in autumn – only phosphorus-potassium preparations to prepare plants for winter, without the use of nitrogen.
Protection from diseases This includes both prevention and timely treatment. In spring and fall, it's advisable to spray with Bordeaux mixture. Read more about plum diseases. HereAt the first signs of fungal infections (for example, clasterosporium or moniliosis), use systemic fungicides.

Winter protection This is especially important for young seedlings: mulch the area around the trunk and hill up the base of the tree. In areas with harsh climates, covering the tree with spruce branches or agrofibre is recommended to prevent freezing.

Pros and cons

It is highly frost-resistant and suitable for regions with cold winters;

the compact size of the tree makes it easy to care for and harvest the fruit;

plums have an attractive appearance, which gives them a marketable appearance;

if agricultural practices are followed, the variety demonstrates stable yield;

the fruit pulp is tender, juicy, with a harmonious sweet taste;

They are stored well and can be transported without loss of quality;

The fruits are versatile in use: suitable for fresh eating, processing and canning;

Early flowering before the leaves emerge gives the tree a decorative effect in the spring.

self-sterile variety – requires a mandatory pollinator;

sensitivity to excess moisture in the soil, especially on heavy soils;

moderate resistance to fungal infections - preventative treatments are important;

To maintain a compact crown, regular formative pruning is necessary; if there is an excess of ovaries, the size and quality of the fruit decreases.

Reviews

Alexey, 52 years old, Perm.

I've been growing the "Snow White" plum tree for six years now. I bought it as a two-year-old sapling, and it took root quickly, never having any problems with freezing. The tree is compact, with a wide crown, making it easy to prune and harvest. The plums themselves are light yellow, sweet and delicate in taste. The harvest is reliable if there's cherry plum blossom nearby, but without a pollinator, it's difficult.

Konovalova Marina, 43 years old, Novosibirsk.

I've been growing the Snow White plum tree for five years now, buying a one-year-old from a nursery. I really like its blooms – the snow-white flowers appear before the leaves, making the tree a beautiful sight in spring. The plums are neat, not large, but juicy and fragrant. We have clay soil, so I frequently loosen the soil and keep an eye on watering. I harvest in early August – the taste is excellent!

Nikolay Eduardovich, 60 years old, Chelyabinsk.

The plum tree has been growing for eight years. I planted it for my wife, but I care for it myself. The tree isn't very tall, but it's spreading and requires annual pruning. It produces a lot of fruit, but if you don't trim it down, they become smaller. The plum is sweet, the flesh melts in your mouth, and the skin is thin. The main thing is to choose the right pollinator variety; I planted a Chinese plum called Red Ball nearby – everything is perfect. It overwinters without cover, but I do insulate the young seedlings.

The Belosnezhka plum combines winter hardiness, good productivity, and attractive fruits with excellent flavor. With proper cultivation, the tree grows quickly, delights with abundant blooms, and produces bountiful harvests. This variety is easy to care for, but requires important agricultural practices and preventative treatments.

Chinese plum Snow White: a fruitful, frost-resistant variety