Cultivar 141: Elliot

Elliot is a cold climate plum hybrid from the University of Minnesota. It is described as a cross of Prunus salicina and P. americana and was introduced in 1920.[S2] It appears in South Dakota Extension recommendations under Minnesota hybrid plums, where it was listed for trial in Zone I and Zone II home fruit plantings.[S1] This places it among the early Upper Midwest efforts to combine Japanese plum fruit quality with native American plum hardiness for northern growers.[S2]

University of Minnesota records identify Elliot simply as a university introduction, without a longer release story.[S2] A later appendix repeats the same parentage, reinforcing that this was its direct breeding formula rather than a later lineage note.[S2]

The fruit ripens in late August after bloom in early May.[S2] Bulletin measurements give it as about 1 1/8 by 1 1/2 inches, with round to oval fruit, a rounded apex, a moderately deep cavity, a visible suture line, and a thick stem about 1 inch long.[S2] The surviving packet does not include a fuller flavor or flesh description.

The tree is described as medium sized and slightly drooping, with fair fruit adherence.[S2] It was noted as hardy and productive, but also susceptible to leaf spot.[S2] This suggests a useful northern hybrid that would benefit from disease aware management where leaf spot pressure is high.[S2]

Hardiness is stated directly in the University of Minnesota bulletin. The South Dakota table adds geographic evidence by listing Elliot for trial in the state's milder fruit growing districts rather than its coldest broad prairie zone.[S1][S2] The packet supports it as a hardy Upper Midwest plum hybrid, but does not give a modern USDA zone rating.[S2]

In broader lineage context, Elliot sits within the Minnesota hybrid plum group and represents the classic P. salicina x P. americana pattern that shaped much northern plum breeding.[S1][S2] The sources here do not name sibling cultivars or descendants, but they do place Elliot within that larger University of Minnesota breeding stream.[S1][S2]

Summary source basis

• S1: South Dakota Fruit Garden
• S2: 9c684c14 7509 4b78 a803 0bf01a64aa28

This summary currently draws chiefly from 9c684c14 7509 4b78 a803 0bf01a64aa28, with 3 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Origin: University of Minnesota, introduced in 1920.”
— ^[5]

“Form round, oval; apex round; cavity moderately deep; suture a line; stem 1 inch long, thick.”
— ^[5]

“Blooms early May; ripens late August.”
— ^[5]

“Described as hardy.”
— ^[5]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Parentage: Prunus salicina x P. americana.
• Elliot is given as P. salicina x P. americana.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• PLUMS, Minn. Hybrids | For Trial | ZONE II Counties in Minne-sota that have North Slopes & Valleys of General Prairie | ElliotSouth Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11), p1
• PLUMS, Minn. Hybrids | For Trial | ZONE II Counties in Minne-sota that have North Slopes & Valleys of General Prairie | ElliotSouth Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11), p1
• PLUMS, Minn. Hybrids | For Trial | ZONE II Counties in Minne-sota that have North Slopes & Valleys of General Prairie | ElliotSouth Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11), p1
• PLUMS, Minn. Hybrids | For Trial | ZONE II Counties in Minne-sota that have North Slopes & Valleys of General Prairie | ElliotSouth Dakota Fruit Garden (visual sample pages 9-11), p1

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context