Unripe plums perhaps ( growing from an understock) -- wait and see. I wouldn't consider eating anything until a positive ID is made.

Regards,
Ted

This post was edited by tedhort on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 2:45

if its growing from under stock.. just get rid of it ..

understock.. usually has such horrible fruit.. that they graft good stuff onto.. and kill the unstocks plant above ... that should tell you everything you need to know ... about the quality of such ....

ken

We don't know they're from the understock - that was just a thought from tedhort. They could be perfectly good plums. At this stage it's impossible to say. I'd leave them alone and see how they turn out.

i did NOT read the link.. but caught this part in the first link:

about eating the unripe fruits and flowers that contain a toxic alkaloid. ... to cherries, plums, peaches, almonds, and even apples

==>> OP does NOT provide facts upon which we can conclude ... that her special needs child.. will wait until they ripen ... to find out.. if its a quality plant ...

nor do we know if this is actually a fruit tree.. rather than the remnants of an ornamental version ... say.. the purple plum ...

as i recall.. from taste testing... lol ... they are most likely so bitter ... that no one is going to eat enough of them to harm themselves .... usually unripe fruit is a break the skin spit it out thing.. .. no one is going to relish eating a belly full ...

my kids were trained.. to eat only what daddy gives them.. by handing them a snack baggie with goodies/ animal cookies .. etc ..... and telling them to come back for more when they needed it... and told.. NEVER eat anything in the yard ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Ken - maybe you should read the links you give. I didn't see any source there saying eating unripe plums is going to be a problem. The reference is to eating the seeds and I'm assuming the OP's children will not be able to crack the stones with their teeth or be carrying a nutcracker around the garden. Even if it is an understock, and even if it comes from an ornamental plum the fruit are not going to kill anyone. The fruit of purple plums, for example, is perfectly fine to eat and makes a good jelly. Unripe they will be sour but not poisonous. And it is unlikely a child will continue to eat something unpalatable. I think you are over reacting.

"I think you are over reacting."

It's a rental property, OP may not be able to remove the tree and it's too early (spring in Australia) to know what they may turn out to be.

Zoe, had you thought about asking the landlord what the fruit will mature to, or if you rented through an agency, having the agent ask for you?

Cut one of the fruits open for us to see the inside.

The landlord here is useless......had no idea about the security alarm that kept going off let alone about the trees here.

Thanks for the help.

I will take a branch down to the local garden centre and see what they think.

I doubt it will hurt the girls but its good to be sure etc.

Thanks,

Have included a pic of the fruit cut open.

A local horticulturist has confirmed its a plum but until it ripens we wont know if its a Japanese plum or European plum.

Right now they are very sour and would upset the kids tummies if they ate a few, hopefully the bitterness will prevent this.

thanks for all the help.

Zoe

Tart fruit has never deterred children, in fact it attracts them but no harm except maybe for teeth enamel.