Toka vs Black Ice plum trees
Toka has smaller plums with a distinctive bubblegum flavour and fruit that stays firm longer after picking. Black Ice has larger plums with deep beet red flesh and a flavour reminiscent of European plums.
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| Detail | Toka | Black Ice |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit size | About 1.25 inches | About 2 inches |
| Flavour | Distinctive bubblegum flavour | Reminiscent of European plums |
| Fruit colour | Orange to red fruit | Dark purple skin with deep beet red flesh |
| Nursery ripening | Late August into September | Second half of August on our young grafts, earlier than Toka |
| Breeding background | American Plum crossed with Chinese Plum, introduced in South Dakota in 1911 | Wisconsin breeding with Western Sand Cherry ancestry |
| Pollination role | Pollinates compatible hybrid plums and needs a companion for its own fruit | Needs a compatible pollen source but is not useful as a pollinator itself |
| Cold hardiness zone | 3 | 3 |
A closer look
Toka
In our nursery experience, Toka keeps longer after picking and retains its firmness. Its bubblegum flavour is distinctive, and it is also a useful pollen source for compatible hybrid plums.
Black Ice
Black Ice has larger fruit with deep beet red flesh and a European plum flavour, despite its different breeding background. Our plants are propagated on their own roots; the earlier harvest observation came from young grafts and is not a fixed harvest date for every site.