Opal is an early European-type plum with pale yellow flesh. The variety can be deliciously sweet and flavoursome, almost like a greengage, but are usually quite a mild-flavoured plum and can be bland if grown in the wrong aspect. In many ways, the flavour reflects the early nature of the variety and is a pleasant introduction to the British soft plum season. The skin is a varied colour from yellow to purple and the fruit size is small to medium. Opal is a free-stone plum.
Opal is popular among growers due to early harvest, upto 4 weeks before Victoria.
Good Fruit Guide Rating: ***
Opal is enjoyable as a mild, soft, sweet early ‘European’ variety: one of the first UK-grown plums of the season in supermarkets.
Mild, sweet, succulent.
Names: Opal; Prunus domestica ‘Opal’ (D)
Origin: Opal was bred in the 1920’s at the Horticultural Research Stations in Alnarp and Balsgard, in southern Sweden. It is the result of a cross of the English Early Favourite plum and the French Oullins Gage.
Grown in: UK and Northern Europe.
Harvest & Availability: Harvest of Opal is generally in late July/early August.
- January:
- February:
- March:
- April:
- May:
- June:
- July: UK
- August: UK
- September:
- October:
- November:
- December:
