Cultivar 352: Excell

Excell is a plum introduction from the University of Saskatchewan, released in 1960 as part of the prairie breeding program. Sources describe it as a native plum and Japanese plum hybrid. The parentage is recorded either as P. nigra x P. salicina or more broadly as native x P. salicina from mixed open pollinations. [S1] [S2]

The best surviving origin detail comes from the University of Saskatchewan introduction list. There, Excell appears as selection P55-59, with the alternate code P13-55. That record ties it to Saskatoon field conditions without irrigation. This gives context for how the fruit was evaluated and why it mattered in prairie testing. [S2]

The fruit was described as medium large, about 3.5 cm in diameter, or up to about 1 3/4 inches in length. It is yellow washed with red, with fairly firm, juicy flesh of good quality. Sources point to fresh use, which suggests it was valued more as a dessert plum than as a processing type. [S1] [S2]

Season records place Excell in late to early September. The two sources are close rather than contradictory. One calls it late, while the Saskatchewan introduction sheet gives the season as early September. [S1] [S2]

These sources do not give clear notes on tree habit, bearing, disease, or storage. Hardiness is also not stated directly. Its release through the University of Saskatchewan and its evaluation under non irrigated Saskatoon conditions place it in the prairie cold climate breeding context. [S2]

Excell belongs to the long prairie effort to combine native plum hardiness with the larger, better quality fruit associated with Prunus salicina. This places it in the broader history of Canadian prairie plum breeding, where native species were used to carry fruit production into colder regions while improving size and eating quality. [S1] [S2]

Summary source basis

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

This summary currently draws chiefly from An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies., with 1 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Fruit diameter 3.5; 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

• P55-59 (P13-55) Excell ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 3/4" in length ... yellow washed with red, flesh fairly firm, juicy and of good quality, season is early Sept.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7
• P55-59 (P13-55) Excell ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 3/4" in length ... yellow washed with red, flesh fairly firm, juicy and of good quality, season is early Sept.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7
• P55-59 (P13-55) Excell ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 3/4" in length ... yellow washed with red, flesh fairly firm, juicy and of good quality, season is early Sept.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7
• P55-59 (P13-55) Excell ... Native x P. salicina Mixed open pollinations ... 1960 ... Fruit up to 1 3/4" in length ... yellow washed with red, flesh fairly firm, juicy and of good quality, season is early Sept.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p7

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context