Plum tree (Black Noble)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plum tree and more particularly to a new and distinct variety broadly characterized by a medium size, medium vigorous, hardy, productive, and regular bearing tree, which requires a pollinator. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in early June, with first picking on June 5, 1989, and is uniformly medium in size, clingstone in type, dark reddish purple in skin color, very smooth and shiny in surface appearance, attractive in shape, very sweet in flavor, and exceptionally firm in texture, resulting in excellent quality for keeping and shipping. The variety was developed as a hybridized seedling from the selected seed parent, Red Beaut (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539), and an unnamed seedling as the selected pollen parent.

We claim: 
     
       1. A new and distinct variety of plum tree, substantially as illustrated and described, which is most similar to its selected seed parent, Red Beaut (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,539), by being self-sterile and by producing medium size fruit that is very attractive in shape, very shiny in surface appearance, and very firm in texture, but is distinguished therefrom and an improvement thereon by producing fruit that ripens seven days later, that is very dark reddish purple in skin color instead of red, that is red in flesh color instead of yellow, and that is much sweeter in flavor.