How to Grow Flavor Supreme Pluot
Flavor Supreme Pluot
Prunus × (plum × apricot hybrid)
fruitFlavor Supreme is a hybrid fruit tree combining the characteristics of plums and apricots, producing large, sweet fruits with deep burgundy skin and amber flesh. The tree is vigorous and self-fertile, making it an excellent choice for home orchards. It's known for exceptional sugar content and complex flavor profile with notes of apricot and plum.
When should you plant Flavor Supreme Pluot in your zone?
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Example Flavor Supreme Pluot timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Flavor Supreme Pluot
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Flavor Supreme Pluot
Late summer into fallBefore the first fall frost (≈ Nov 8)
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Flavor Supreme Pluot dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 6-9, with best production in zones 7-8
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Get my Flavor Supreme Pluot timeline →Growth Stages
Establishment
First yearYoung tree develops root system and primary branching structure
Water deeply and regularly; provide stake support for first 1-2 years; prune to central leader; remove competing branches
Vegetative Growth
Years 2-3Tree expands canopy, develops secondary branches, and increases trunk diameter
Continue deep watering; apply balanced fertilizer in spring; prune to open vase-like form; remove crossing branches and water sprouts
Flowering
3-4 weeks in spring (varies by zone; typically April-May)Tree produces abundant pink and white blossoms on year-old wood
Do not over-fertilize with nitrogen as it reduces flowering; protect flowers from late frost with frost cloth if needed; ensure adequate pollination with nearby flowering trees or pollinators
Fruit Development
8-12 weeks from bloom to maturityFlowers transition to small green fruits; fruit expands and colors to deep burgundy
Thin fruits to 4-6 inches apart when marble-sized for larger fruit; maintain consistent moisture; apply 2-3 inch mulch layer; monitor for pests and diseases
Harvest
3-4 weeks harvest window (typically July-August in most zones)Fruits reach full size, deep burgundy color, and develop peak sweetness and flavor
Harvest when fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure; pick in early morning for best flavor; use pruning shears to avoid damaging branches; fruits continue ripening after harvest for 1-2 days
Common Pests
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Hand-pick in early morning; use row covers during peak beetle season; apply neem oil or spinosad spray; use Japanese beetle traps at distance from tree
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Shake branches onto cloth in early morning to collect larvae; apply spinosad or kaolin clay spray at petal fall and every 7-14 days; thin fruits to prevent cracking; remove fallen fruit promptly
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Prune to improve air circulation; remove infected blossoms and fruit; thin fruits; avoid overhead watering; apply sulfur or copper fungicide during bloom if disease pressure is high
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Spray with strong water stream; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage natural predators like ladybugs; prune heavily infested branches
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Use yellow sticky traps; apply neem oil or horticultural oil; spray with insecticidal soap; encourage parasitic wasps
Uses
Fresh eating and desserts
CulinaryFlavor Supreme pluots are exceptional fresh-eating fruits with excellent sugar content (Brix 13-16) and complex flavor. Use in fruit salads, cobblers, tarts, ice cream, and jams. [source]
Juice and preserves
CulinaryThe high sugar and pectin content makes Flavor Supreme ideal for fresh juice blends and homemade jams, jellies, and preserves with minimal added sugar. [source]
Ornamental landscape value
HouseholdThe tree provides spring blossoms and attractive foliage alongside fruit production, making it a beautiful addition to home landscapes and orchards. [source]
Pollinator support
WildlifeSpring blossoms attract bees and other pollinators essential for fruit production, supporting local pollinator populations. [source]
Nutritional benefits
MedicinalPluots provide vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants including anthocyanins, supporting overall health and immune function. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Flavor Supreme pluots ripen mid-to-late summer (typically July-August). Pick fruits when they yield slightly to gentle pressure and have developed full burgundy color and sweet aroma. The fruit will not fully ripen on the tree if picked too early, so wait until mature but taste one fruit first to ensure desired sweetness. Harvest in the cool morning hours to maximize flavor and shelf life. Avoid picking fruit immediately after rain. A mature tree can produce 50-100+ pounds of fruit per season.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Flavor Supreme is one of the earliest and most flavorful pluot varieties, developed by Floyd Zaiger, a legendary fruit hybridizer who also created the first pluots in the 1970s.
- 🌱 The name 'pluot' comes from its genetics: it contains more plum DNA than apricot, unlike a 'plumcot' which has more apricot ancestry and different characteristics.
- 🌱 Flavor Supreme pluots are self-fertile, unlike many stone fruits, meaning you can get fruit production with a single tree, though cross-pollination with other stone fruits can increase yield.
Gardening Terms
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