Cultivar 363: Omega

Omega is a University of Saskatchewan Prunus introduction from the Sapa x Oka line. Records describe it as a mixed open pollination and say it was introduced in 1960. [S1] [S4] Related records place it within prairie plum and cherry plum breeding based on hardy sand cherry plum hybrids. [S1]

The fruit is described as spherical and about 1 inch across, with bluish black to purple skin and dark red flesh. [S2] [S4] Sources describe the skin as either very thin or medium thick and tough in a Saskatchewan fruit table. Both agree on the dark flesh, sweet flavor, and fair to good dessert quality. [S2] [S4] This suggests a small dark prairie hybrid valued as much for processing or breeding as for fresh eating. [S2] [S4]

Omega appears in Saskatchewan comparison material as a plum or cherry plum grown under prairie conditions. This supports its place in the University of Saskatchewan cold climate breeding stream. [S1] [S2] The packet does not provide fuller notes on tree habit, bearing, disease, or storage, so those details remain open here. Its broader significance is its place in the dense family of Sapa, Oka, and related prairie hybrid selections that shaped mid century western Canadian stone fruit breeding. [S1] [S4]

Sources in this packet do not give a direct hardiness zone statement for this Prunus Omega. The strongest support is geographic: it was introduced and compared in Saskatchewan as part of prairie breeding and evaluation work. [S1] [S2]

Summary source basis

• S1: An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies.
• S2: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S3: Haskap Breeding & Production - Final Report, January 2012
• S4: University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960

This summary currently draws chiefly from hortfacts_1976_3.pdf, with 3 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Skin described as medium thick, tough, astringent; flesh as dark purple and juicy.”
— ^[4]

“Tested primarily in Zones 4 and 5, where it showed moderate to severe winter injury.”
— ^[4]

“Flavor listed as sweet.”
— ^[4]

“Dessert quality listed as fair.”
— ^[4]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Listed as 'Sapa' x 'Oka'.
• Parentage listed as Sapa x Oka, from mixed open pollination.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• C59-358 Omega ... Sapa x Oka Mixed open pollination ... 1960 ... Spherical, skin bluish black and very thin, flesh dark red, sweet and of good quality.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p9
• C59-358 Omega ... Sapa x Oka Mixed open pollination ... 1960 ... Spherical, skin bluish black and very thin, flesh dark red, sweet and of good quality.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p9
• C59-358 Omega ... Sapa x Oka Mixed open pollination ... 1960 ... Spherical, skin bluish black and very thin, flesh dark red, sweet and of good quality.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p9
• C59-358 Omega ... Sapa x Oka Mixed open pollination ... 1960 ... Spherical, skin bluish black and very thin, flesh dark red, sweet and of good quality.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p9

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context