Trees and Shrubs

Prunus domestica ‘Blue Gage’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Branches long, slender, and downy. Fruit small, quite round, about three inches and a half in circumference. Stalk three quarters of an inch long. Skin dark blue, covered with a pale blue bloom. Flesh yellowish green, and separates from the stone. Juice smart, with but little richness of flavour. Ripe the beginning of August.’

Prunus domestica ‘Coe’s Golden-Drop’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Branches smooth. Leaves with two globular glands at the base. Fruit oval, of the largest size among Plums, about two inches and a half long, and two inches in diameter, deeply marked by the suture, pitted at the point, abruptly tapering and hollowed out at the base for the reception of the stalk. Stalk three quarters of an inch long, slender. Skin greenish yellow, with numerous rich spots of bright violet red next the sun. Flesh greenish yellow, adhering firmly to the stone. Juice very sweet and delicious. Stone sharp-pointed. Ripe the end of September, and will hang some time upon the tree after it is matured.

This will keep for a considerable length of time, after it is gathered, either by suspending it by the stalk upon a string, withinside a window facing the sun, or by wrapping it in soft paper, and keeping it in a dry room. By this latter method, I have eaten it exceedingly good in October, twelve months after it had been gathered.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.462/1831].

Prunus domestica ‘Coe’s Late Red’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Fruit medium sized, round, marked on one side with a deep suture. Skin bright purple, covered with a thin blue bloom. Stalk three quarters of an inch long, not depressed. Flesh yellowish, firm and juicy, with a sweet and sprightly flavour, and separating from the stone. Shoots downy. As a late plum, ripening in the end of October, and hanging for a month or six weeks later, this is a valuable variety.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.233/1860].

Prunus domestica ‘Damson’

Generally considered a Prunus domestica L. cultivar but see notes below. ‘Damson, Common Damson, Round Damson. Fruit very small, roundish-ovate. Skin deep dark purple or black, covered with thin bloom. Flesh greenish-yellow, juicy very acid, and rather austere till highly ripened, and separating from the stone. Shoots downy. A well-known preserving plum. Ripe in the end of September.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.236/1860]. The Damson is often placed in a separate species, Prunus insititia L., or separated as a subspecies, insititia, of Prunus domestica L. Damson varieties were in the past usually raised from stones.

Prunus domestica ‘Drap d?Or’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Branches smooth, but downy at the ends. Fruit rather small, of a roundish figure, somewhat like the Little Queen Claude, with but very little suture, and a small dimple at each end: about an inch deep, and rather more in diameter. Stalk half an inch long, slender. Skin bright yellow, spotted or marbled with red on the sunny side. Flesh yellow, melting, and separates clean from the stone. Juice sugary and excellent. Ripe the middle of August.’ [George Lindley – Orchard guide p.463/1831]. Thought by some to be a selection from, or more likely a hybrid of, Prunus institia L.

Prunus domestica ‘Early Perdrigon’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Fruit, medium sized; roundish oval. Skin, purple. Flesh, rich, juicy, and excellent, separating from the stone. A first-rate dessert plum; ripe in the middle of August. The tree is very hardy, and an abundant bearer. Shoots, downy. This is not the same as Perdrigon Hâtif and Moyeu de Bourgogne with which it is made synonymous in the Horticultural Society's Catalogue, both of these being yellow plums.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.717/1884 as ‘Perdrigon Violet Hâtif’]. 

Prunus domestica ‘Early South American’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. This plum is unidentified but was probably imported directly from South America, from Rio de Janeiro, a frequent stopping place for ships on route to Australia. Many plants were imported this way.

Prunus domestica ‘Formosa’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. I have found no plum called ‘Formosa’ in the contemporary literature. It is possibly a variety of Prunus salicina Lindl., synonym Prunus triflora Roxb., the Japanese Plum, now quite commonly grown in warmer climates. 

Prunus domestica ‘Goliath’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Branches resembling those of the Orleans, downy. Fruit pretty large, a little more long than broad, oblique at both extremities, and swelled more on one side of the suture than on the other. Stalk three quarters of an inch long. Skin pale red on the shaded side, but of a deep red or violet colour where exposed to the sun, and covered with a thin blue bloom. Flesh yellow, and slightly adhering to the stone. Juice similar to that of the Orleans. Ripe the beginning and middle of September. This is a very fine handsome Plum, a very great bearer, and deserving of cultivation.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.450/1831].

Prunus domestica ‘Green Gage’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Branches smooth. Fruit middle-sized, round, having a narrow suture extending from the stalk to the apex. Stalk half an inch long, a little bent, and inserted in a small funnel-shaped cavity. Skin yellowish green, but when fully exposed to the sun of a purplish colour, marbled with russetty muddy red. Flesh yellowish green, very melting, and separates partly from the stone, leaving part of the pulp behind. Juice abundant, saccharine, of the richest and most exquisite flavour. Ripe on the open standard the middle of August.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.445/1831]. See also Prunus domestica L. var. ‘Reine Claude’.

Prunus domestica ‘Ickworth Imperatrice’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Fruit large, obovate. Skin purple, marked with yellow streaks. Stalk stout, an inch or more in length. Flesh greenish-yellow, tender and juicy, with a rich, sugary flavour, and adhering to the stone. Shoots smooth. An excellent late dessert plum. Ripe in October. It will hang till it shrivels, and is then very rich in flavour.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.241/1860].

Prunus domestica ‘Kirke’s Golden Yellow’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. I have found no record of this plum. The plum that usually bears Kirke’s name is purple skinned. There is also a ‘Kirke’s Stoneless’, again with a purple skin.

Prunus domestica ‘Knight’s Large Green Drying’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Fruit large, round, and marked with a shallow suture. Skin greenish-yellow, and covered with thin white bloom. Flesh yellowish, firm, not very juicy, sugary, and richly flavoured when highly ripened; adhering to the stone. Shoots smooth. A dessert plum. Ripe in the middle and end of September; and succeeds best against a wall.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.244/1860].

Prunus domestica ‘Lawrence’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. I have found no record of a plum called ‘Lawrence’s Orleans’ but it is probably ‘Lawrence’s Favourite’, also called ‘Lawrence’. ‘Fruit large, round, and flattened at both ends. Skin dull yellowish-green, streaked with darker green on the side exposed to the sun, veined with brown, and covered all over with thin grey bloom. Stalk half an inch long, inserted in a narrow cavity. Flesh greenish, tender, melting, and juicy, rich, sugary, and with a fine vinous, brisk flavour, separating from the stone. Shoots downy. A delicious dessert plum. Ripe in the beginning of September.’ [Hogg – Fruit Manual p.245/1860].

Prunus domestica ‘Orleans’

A Prunus domestica L. cultivar. ‘Branches downy. Fruit middle-sized, nearly globular, swelling a little more on one side of the suture than on the other. Skin dark red, and when fully exposed to the sun, of a purplish colour, covered with a thin blue bloom. Flesh yellow, and separates clean from the stone, like an Apricot. Juice a little sugary, with a portion of astringency. Ripe the middle and end of August. The Orleans is one of our most common Plums, and known in every market throughout England.’ [George Lindley – Orchard Guide p.454/1831].