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Prunus insititia 'Prune Damson' (C)
  • RHS AGM
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

damson 'Prune Damson'

A vigorous, but neat growing, cultivar that has larger fruits than 'Farleigh Damson'. A regular and good cropper with a picking time of late August. A late flowering cultivar in pollination group 5, so should escape spring frosts. Self-fertile

Synonyms
Prunus insititia 'Shropshire Damson'
Prunus insititia 'Shropshire Prune'
see morePrunus domestica 'Shropshire Prune'
Prunus domestica 'Shropshire Damson'

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Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
2.5–4 metres
Growing conditions
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring White Green
Summer Green Blue
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Prunus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with showy flowers in spring, and often good autumn foliage colour. Some have edible fruit in autumn, and a few species have ornamental bark

Name status

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a moist, but well-drained soil in full sun. Keep a weed-free area of at least 60cm radius around trunk. Thin fruit if necessary. Irrigate in dry periods

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting on rootstock for fruit

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Wall side borders
  • Edible fruit
Pruning

Regular pruning required for pruning established fans, but pruning plums grown as bushes is not so intensive

Pests

Can suffer from damage by plum aphid, caterpillars, fruit tree glasshouse red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth and bullfinches

Diseases

May be affected by silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and brown rot

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