A new and distinct variety of plum tree which is somewhat similar to the Roysum Plum Tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,619) from which it was derived as a sport, but from which it is distinguished by producing a fruit which ripens several weeks earlier than the Roysum Plum Tree and which is not self-fruiting and has a flesh which is a moderate orange-yellow in color and has a distinctive flavor.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW VARIETY 
The present invention relates to a plum tree, designated varietally as 
"Scarlet Sun" and which is somewhat similar to the Roysum Plum Tree (U.S. 
Plant Pat. No. 2,619), from which it was derived as a sport, but from 
which it is distinguished by producing very large, bright red plums having 
a harvest date of approximately August 20 at Del Rey, Calif., and has 
pleasant tasting, moderate orange-yellow colored flesh and which further 
exhibits excellent cold storage and handling characteristics. 
As manager of a large deciduous fruit company, the applicant is constantly 
on the alert to locate new and novel varieties of fruit for the purposes 
of improving the various produce that is sent to market from his 
employer's farms. During the performance of his routine duties, in the 
fall of 1977, the applicant discovered in a cultivated area, and 
subsequently marked what appeared to be a sport limb of a Roysum Plum Tree 
(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 2,619) bearing new and novel fruit at his employer's 
Ranch No. 28 located near Tulare, Calif. Budwood from the sport limb was 
taken, during the winter of 1977 and 1978, and grafted onto seedling test 
trees in the orchard located near Del Rey, Calif., to which reference has 
already been made. These test seedlings were thereafter observed and the 
first fruit of the subject variety was harvested in 1979. The applicant 
noted at the time that the test seedlings produced plums which were of a 
unique color and of a harvest date expected to be advantageous to his 
employer. As a consequence, more budwood was collected from these test 
trees for further asexual reproduction. 
ORIGIN AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE NEW VARIETY 
In the winter of 1979, budwood collected from the test seedlings was budded 
onto new test seedlings in the test plot. These new test trees were 
observed and the first fruit was borne by them in the summer of 1981. The 
applicant's various observations of these seedlings has lead him to 
conclude that the instant variety is probably not self-fruiting and 
therefore another plum tree is required to aid in the pollination of the 
"Scarlet Sun" Plum Tree. The budded seedlings have been continuously 
observed by the applicant and have proved to be identical in 
characteristics to those displayed by the original sport limb.