About
Jefferson' is a dessert plum of rich, gage quality. Not self-fertile; in pollination group 1. The fruits are yellow flushed with red and produces moderate, but regular crops from mid to late August.
About the 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
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height2.5-4 metres
Spread2.5-4 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in moist, but well-drained soil in full sun, ideally with a pH of between 6 and 6.5. Suitable for all training forms including fan-trained. Keep a weed-free area of at least 60cm radius around trunk. Thin fruit if necessary. Irrigate in dry periods
PruningRegular pruning required according to tree form: see pruning plums or pruning established fans
PropagationPropagate by chip budding or grafting onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock used will largely determine the vigour of the tree
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to plum aphid, caterpillars, fruit tree red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth and bullfinches
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus