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Fruit EdibleTrees

Prunus domestica 'Kirke's' (D)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

plum 'Kirke's'

A late-season dessert plum with blue-black skin and sweet, juicy, yellow-green flesh. It is a fairly light cropper and needs a warm, sheltered position. It is self-sterile; pollination group 4

Synonyms
Prunus domestica 'Kirkes Blue'
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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
Acid, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring White Green
Summer Green Blue
Autumn Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
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 full sun in a sheltered position in moist, but well-drained soil, ideally with a pH of 6 to 6.5. Irrigate in dry periods. Thin fruit as required

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting. Trees grown from stones will not resemble the parent

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

Regular pruning required according to tree form, see pruning plums and pruning established fans

Pests

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

Diseases

May be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus

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