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Prunus Pluot® 'PINK CANDY'® pluot (plum x apricot)
Prunus
When the Japanese plum decided to join forces with the apricot, the result was one of the most delicious experiments in modern fruit breeding – the pluot. This interspecific hybrid, technically referred to as an interspecific plum, carries approximately three-quarters of plum genetics and one-quarter apricot [(Prunus salicina × (Prunus salicina × Prunus armeniaca)) × Prunus salicina]. Its smooth skin, juicy flesh, and sugar content that often surpasses both parents make it a sweet champion among stone fruits. Pluot is no accident of nature, but the result of deliberate breeding perfected in the 1980s by American horticulturist Floyd Zaiger (1926–2017). He built on the work of the legendary Luther Burbank (1849–1926), who at the turn of the century experimented with so-called plumcots – the first plum-apricot hybrids. While Burbank’s creations were too delicate for commercial cultivation, Zaiger went further: he crossed plumcot with plum, creating a new generation of hybrids now known under the trademarked name Pluot®.
If Luther Burbank opened the door to interspecific breeding of stone fruits, Floyd Zaiger flung it wide open with tireless precision. His lifelong passion was the breeding of fruit trees – especially peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and plums – with the goal of creating varieties with better flavour, longer shelf life, and improved climate adaptability. In his family-run company Zaiger’s Genetics, based in Modesto, California, he developed over 400 patented cultivars, all through traditional crossbreeding – without genetic modification. Zaiger considered the pluot his greatest achievement: the result of thousands of hand-made crosses was a fruit that not only tasted better than its parents but could also be grown and shipped on a commercial scale. Unlike the plumcot, which is a direct cross between plum and apricot, the pluot is the result of repeated backcrossing of plumcot with plum, giving it a distinctly plum-like character – smooth skin, intense colour, and sugar levels often exceeding 20 °Brix.
Pluot® Pink Candy® is like a summer postcard from California – its fruits shine with a pastel pink skin, delicately marbled like watercolour on a ripe peach. The flesh is light orange, exceptionally tender and juicy, with a surprisingly complex flavour that blends the sweetness of tropical fruit with a refreshing hint of redcurrant-like acidity. With a sugar content of around 18–19 °Brix, it ranks among the sweeter varieties, yet its higher acidity keeps the taste vibrant and far from bland. The fruits typically ripen in temperate climates between July 10th and 20th – slightly later than in its native breeding regions. Ripeness is best judged by a gentle give to the touch and a rich fruity aroma that intensifies at room temperature. The skin is thinner than in many other pluots, making the fruit more sensitive to bruising – hand-picking is recommended, and the fruits are best enjoyed fresh or processed into jams and fruit sauces.
The tree grows moderately, forming an elegant, slightly weeping crown reminiscent of a young plum. It reaches about 2 meters in height, making it ideal for smaller gardens or container growing. In the early years, it benefits from protection against strong winds, as its young shoots are slender and flexible. It flowers very early – usually in the first half of April – with soft pink blossoms that are self-fertile. However, the presence of other early-blooming varieties such as 'Santa Rosa' or 'Dapple Dandy' significantly improves fruit set. It is mostly grafted onto Krymsk rootstock, which supports compact growth and adapts well to drier soils. Citation is also an excellent choice, especially in gardens with more moisture-retentive soils or where semi-dwarf growth and early fruiting are desired. In heavier soils, Myrobalan rootstock performs reliably, though it tends to produce suckers that should be regularly removed to prevent weakening the tree. 'Pink Candy' is well-suited for container cultivation in pots of at least 40 liters, where it can bear fruit reliably with regular watering and feeding – though yields may be slightly lower than when planted in open ground.
Pluot requires a sunny location, sheltered from strong or persistent winds, and deep, well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. It does not tolerate waterlogging, so in heavier soils, drainage or raised beds are necessary. The tree grows moderately vigorously; staking is recommended in the early years. Regular watering during dry periods and balanced fertilization support healthy growth and fruit production. Its cold hardiness ranges from –27 to –29 °C (USDA zone 5), making it suitable for cultivation in most parts of Central Europe. The tree is not prone to disease, though in wet years it may be sensitive to brown rot (Monilinia). As for pruning, opinions vary, but we recommend occasional summer thinning of overcrowded branches to maintain an airy crown. The seeds inside the pits contain trace amounts of amygdalin and should not be consumed.
Last update 20-10-2025
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- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
