The first early plum varieties have been harvested completely. And now the harvest of the somewhat smaller yellow Mirabelle plums has started, this plum is valued for the fine aroma and often used for jam and compote. But other, larger and aromatic, plum varieties are harvested too, and those plum varieties are especially suitable for desserts and plum sauce. And the old variety “Hauszwetsche” is often used in plum cakes, as they are firm and have an intense taste. They can be harvested from mid-August. The yield is expected to be small, however due to the low numbers the plums are quite large.
Plums and the sub-species Zwetschge are popular in Germany. They can be differentiated from each other through their shape. Plums are rounder and have a pronounced groove. While the elongated oval Zwetschge don’t have a real groove and a pointy end. Their flesh is firm and easy to detach from the stone. Mirabelle plum is a variety of the freestone stone fruit or drupe, just as the greenish-yellow Greengages and Japanese plums. The variety in shape, color, size, and taste, is reflected in their diverse uses. The plums can be used in cakes and desserts, in preserves and jams and in the traditional alcoholic dessert Rumtopf.
In the German state Nordrhein-Westfalen, 160 hectares are used for the cultivation of the different plum varieties. About 50 fruit farms cultivate a wide range of varieties. The wide range ensures the consumers have fresh plums during the entire season from July until October. Most fruit farmers sell their plums in their farm shop or at farmers’ markets. They can harvest the ripe and aromatic fruit at exactly the right time. Another share of the harvest is used for processing for example for the production of jams.
The main regions of cultivation in Germany are Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz. The total cultivation area covers 3000 hectares, about 60% of the total surface in Germany. And with an average of 40,000 metric tons per year, Germany is the most important cultivator in Europe.