Dapple Dandy Pluot is a hybrid fruit tree that combines the best of plums and apricots into a single, strikingly beautiful package. The large freestone fruit wears dappled maroon and yellow skin that gives way to red and white flesh inside, earning it the affectionate nickname 'Dinosaur Egg.' This tree thrives in hardiness zones 5 to 10, reaching 12 to 16 feet at maturity, and produces an incredibly sweet, flavorful fruit that balances plum and apricot notes. It's a frequent taste test winner and one of the most adaptable pluot varieties to colder climates, requiring only 300 to 400 chill hours.
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Full Sun
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5-10
192in H x ?in W
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High
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The Dapple Dandy's speckled skin and jewel-toned red-and-white flesh make it as visually striking as it is delicious, and its remarkable cold hardiness sets it apart among pluot varieties. The tree serves double duty as a pollinator for other pluot cultivars while producing abundantly in its own right. Its low chill requirement and adaptability to zones 5 through 10 means gardeners in cooler regions can finally grow a truly distinctive, gourmet fruit without relying on long, scorching summers.
Dapple Dandy pluots excel as fresh eating fruit, where the juicy, flavorful flesh can be enjoyed straight from the tree. The sweet, tangy character also lends itself well to preserves and desserts, giving home gardeners the flexibility to enjoy them in multiple ways throughout the season.
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Pick Dapple Dandy pluots when the skin fully matures to dappled maroon and yellow tones and the fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure. The yellow-green base color will shift to golden yellow as ripeness approaches. Because these are freestone fruits, the flesh separates cleanly from the pit when fully ripe, making them easy to prepare fresh or for cooking.
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