Origin: in Excelsior, Minn., by E.T. Anderson, Univ. of Minnesota Fruit Breeding Farm. Introd. in 1965. Prunus besseyi 'Sioux' × P. salicina 'Elephant Heart'; cross made in 1942; first fruited in 1947; tested as Minn. 440. Tree: can be trained to produce a tree, but develops naturally into a wide-spreading bush; more vigorous than Sapa; very precocious; requires cross-pollination, such as Compass, as well as sandcherry seedlings; very hardy. Fruit: large, 1 1/2 inches long and 1 1/4 inches in diam.; oval conic, apical point pronounced; suture a faint line; skin deep purple to black, medium thick, tender; flesh dark rich purple, firm, meaty, medium juicy; pit small, flat, nearly free; flavor sweet, pleasant; ripens in mid-August; remains mature on tree in good condition up to 2 weeks; useful mostly for processing, compares favorably with Sapa for jam; more productive than Sapa.
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