Picking Italian plums, or Zwetschgen, in September, is a German end-of-summer ritual.

In part, this is because of the Germany affinity for plums 41 percent of Germans say that the plum is their favorite fruit! Instead, these plums are a hit in Germany and feature in many Germany desserts. Italian plums are native to the the Mediterranean coastal regions of Italy, and although they are named after their country of origin, they are not a favorite there. Removing the pit is fairly easy with these plums because they are a freestone pit, meaning that the pit pops out and lacks the tough, fibrous bits that hold some pits to the fruit meat. Look for very dark purple skin often dusted with a cloudy film. Italian plums are about the size of a large strawberry, and they have an oblong shape rather. They look much different than the commonly available plums in United States supermarkets.

Italian plums, also called Italian prune plums, are a European plum. Read on to learn about Italian plums, their uses, and how to grow your own! Plums isolated on white background What are Italian plums? This tree is perfect for home-growers in the United States because Italian plums are rare finds in supermarkets, so a tree of your own will give you a steady source of these seasonal fruit. Italian plums are a sweet, oblong fruit that steal the show in German baked goods during fall and winter.

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