Flavor Supreme Pluot is a spectacular plum-apricot hybrid that delivers some of the most intensely sweet fruit you can grow in a home orchard. Developed by the legendary breeder Floyd Zeiger, this vigorous tree produces 2.5-inch fruit with a stunning greenish-maroon mottled exterior that peels back to reveal deep burgundy, firm flesh. Hardy in zones 5 through 9 and reaching 12 to 16 feet tall, it bears fruit within 2 years and ripens in midsummer, though some gardeners report harvest as early as July. At peak ripeness, the sugar content can hit 30 percent, roughly double that of most other fruits, making it a consistent taste-test winner wherever it's grown.
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Full Sun
Moderate
5-9
192in H x 240in W
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High
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The magic here is in the flavor intensity paired with a firm, crunchy texture that stays pristine whether you pick it slightly early or let it fully mature until the juice runs down your arm. The striking appearance, nicknamed 'Dinosaur Egg' for its mottled greenish exterior contrasting dramatically with maroon flesh, makes these trees as beautiful as they are productive. This is a hybrid that actually delivers on its promise: you get the sweetness and jam-like richness of an apricot combined with the structure and firmness of a premium plum.
Flavor Supreme shines as a fresh-eating fruit, best enjoyed when you can bite directly into the firm flesh and experience the full intensity of its flavor. The high sugar content and rich taste make these pluots exceptional for eating fresh, straight from the tree or slightly chilled. Some gardeners also preserve them, though the firm texture and outstanding fresh flavor mean most are consumed out of hand during the ripening window.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant bare-root or container-grown Flavor Supreme in early spring, after the last frost date for your zone. Space trees 20 feet apart to allow for their mature spread. Dig a hole wide enough for the root system and backfill with soil amended with compost, ensuring the graft union sits slightly above soil level.
Pick Flavor Supreme when the skin turns fully red to deep maroon, typically in July or midsummer. The fruit should yield slightly to gentle pressure but still feel firm rather than mushy. For peak flavor, allow the pluot to fully ripen on the tree, but harvest before fruit drops; the 2.5-inch size makes them easy to handle and assess for ripeness.
Train young trees to an open center or vase shape to encourage air circulation and light penetration, which helps with disease prevention and even ripening. Remove any crossing or diseased branches, and thin crowded growth to maintain a vigorous, productive canopy. Once established, light annual pruning after harvest keeps the tree manageable and maintains productivity.
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“Flavor Supreme emerged from Zaiger Genetics, one of the world's most prolific stone fruit breeding programs. Floyd Zeiger, the breeder behind this and countless other exceptional stone fruits, developed Flavor Supreme as one of the original plum-apricot interspecific crosses. This wasn't a chance discovery but the result of intentional breeding to combine the best traits of two distinct fruit types: the sweetness and apricot character with the firm flesh and complexity of Japanese plums. Since its introduction, it has become a staple in home orchards and appears regularly in taste tests, where its remarkable sugar content and balanced flavor consistently earn top marks.”