AU ROSA japanese plum SEMI-DWARF (St Julien A)

🍑 AU ROSA Japanese plum tree (Prunus salicina ‘AU Rosa’)

🌸 Origin and type

• Species: Prunus salicina (Japanese plum tree)
• Origin: Auburn University (Alabama, United States)
• Selection: AU (Auburn University) program for improved quality and hardiness
• Type: deciduous fruit tree, highly decorative flowering

🌳 Tree characteristics

• Habit: upright to slightly spreading, very floriferous
• Vigor: medium to strong
• Adult size: 4 to 6 m (depending on rootstock and pruning)
• Hardiness: USDA zones 5 to 8 (withstands temperatures down to approx. –25°C)
• Exposure: full sun, warm and sheltered location
• Soil: deep, fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic pH

🍑 Fruit

• Shape: round, medium to large size
• Skin: bright red to shiny purple
• Flesh: golden yellow, juicy, firm and sweet
• Taste: sweet, pleasant, well-balanced (sugar + slight acidity)
• Use: fresh, in jams, pies, or preserves
• Storage: 2 to 3 weeks in a cool place

🌼 Flowering and pollination

• Flowering: April (fragrant white flowers)
• Pollination: partially self-fertile, but best production with another compatible Japanese variety
  • 🔗 Recommended pollinators: Methley, Santa Rosa, Ozark Premier, Toka
• Natural pollinators: bees, bumblebees

🍂 Harvest

• Period: mid- to late summer (depending on climate, often August)
• Yield: high and consistent with good pollination
• Tip: pick when fully ripe for optimal flavor

🛠️ Cultivation and care

• Planting: fall or spring, in well-drained soil
• Watering: regular in the first few years, then moderate
• Pruning: winter (frost-free) to balance the branches and promote light
• Thinning: recommended to avoid overloading with fruit
• Fertilization: compost or fruit fertilizer every spring
• Care: mulch at the base, avoid standing water
• Diseases: relatively resistant, but watch out for monilia, scab, and aphids

🍽️ Uses

• Enjoy fresh for its sweet and juicy flesh
• Ideal for jams, compotes, pies, or dried fruit
• Excellent table and processing fruit

💡 Advantages of AU ROSA

✅ Beautiful red skin and very appetizing golden flesh
✅ Sweet and fragrant flavor
✅ Good hardiness (up to zone 5)
✅ Decorative flowering in spring
✅ Generous and regular production