The 'Wickson Challenge' ... lost out

'Wickson Challenge' Plum

 This painting has a very faint writing on it - 'Wickson Challenge.' 

If you look that name up you find that 'Wickson Challenge' was renamed 'Formosa' and is a Burbank variety. So is this variety still around? And can you buy it?

The plum was front page news in the January 17, 1907 Pacific Rural Press and California Fruit Bulletin. 

PRP 16 March 1907

"Two Famous Horticulturalists" in 1907 announced the partnership of Luther Burbank and George C. Roeding. "... why are these two men so unlike in face, race and phases of horticultural activity joined upon this page? It is trade which connects them for Mr. Burbank is a high-class horticultural producer who has no time to think about marketing many of his wares and Mr. Roeding is a high-class horticultural merchant who only needs to know that he has a good thing to give the world no rest until it has some of it. The assocation seems very rational and natural and therefore it easily comes about. Mr. Burbank has designated Mr. Roeding as the sole introducer and distributor of some of his most unique productions of which we shall have more to say in later issues."

The 'Formosa' plum was introduced in "New products of the trees; a treatise on Luther Burbank's late introductions. 1908-1909: The Formosa, Gaviota and Vesuvius plum, 1907-1908: The Paradox and Royal black walnut, the Santa Rosa plum and the Rutland plumcot .." 

Can you still buy this plum?

David Karp wrote about "Luther Burbank's Plums."According to Karp, it was prone to bruising and was a shy producer. It is no longer available from nurseries. UC Davis may have it. Felix Gillet says that they have it from a 100 year old tree.

There's the picture!