Cultivar 348: Gilman

Gilman is a University of Saskatchewan plum introduction. It is a dark red prairie hybrid selected from native plum and Japanese plum breeding material. Sources describe it either as a P. nigra x P. salicina plum or, more specifically, as a seedling from native x P. salicina mixed open pollinations. It was introduced in 1960 and recorded under the selection code P58-132.[S1] [S3]

Introduction records place Gilman at Saskatoon, and its fruit description was based on field conditions without irrigation.[S3] This places it in the University of Saskatchewan's mid century prairie fruit program, which selected plums for northern conditions rather than irrigated orchard production.[S3]

The fruit is described as medium sized, up to about 1 1/4 inches across, with dark red skin.[S1] [S3] University of Saskatchewan release notes say the flavor is mild, the quality is good, and it is an early September plum.[S3] The prairie cultivar index also lists it for fresh use and places it in the late maturity group, which suggests some variation in season reporting between sources.[S1]

Gilman does not stand out in surviving Saskatchewan evaluation notes for fruit size. A later prairie source groups it with Eclipse, Hoffmann, Perfection, Robinson, and Saskatchewan as University of Saskatchewan introductions considered inferior to other introductions because of lack of size.[S2]

Its broader significance is as part of the prairie red hybrid plum line that drew on native Canadian plum material and P. salicina to produce fruit for the Canadian prairies.[S1] [S3] The cited sources do not fully settle the exact wording of its parentage, and no direct hardiness zone statement for Gilman appears here.[S1] [S3]

Summary source basis

• S1: An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies.
• S2: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S3: University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960

This summary currently draws chiefly from University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, with 2 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Deemed inferior to other introductions because of lack of size.”
— ^[3]

“Fruit diameter 3.0; maturity late.”
— ^[2]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Origin listed as P. nigra x P. salicina.
• Parentage listed as native x Prunus salicina, mixed open pollinations.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• P58-132 Gilman ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 1/4" each way ... dark red, mild and quality good; season early September.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7
• P58-132 Gilman ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 1/4" each way ... dark red, mild and quality good; season early September.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7
• P58-132 Gilman ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 1/4" each way ... dark red, mild and quality good; season early September.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7
• P58-132 Gilman ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 1/4" each way ... dark red, mild and quality good; season early September.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context