About
Mallard' is a dessert cultivar that produces a medium-sized, red plum with a good flavour and good, regular crops. It has moderate vigour and belongs to Pollination group 1. Cropping time is 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 typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectWest-facing, South-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
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 well-drained loamy to clay soil in full sun. Plums will tolerate a range of soils as long as they are well-drained and have a neutral to acid pH. 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. Flowers early, so at risk from spring frosts
PruningRegular pruning required according to tree form: pruning plums or pruning established fans
PropagationPropagate by chip budding or grafting onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock used will largely determine the size of the tree
Pest resistanceCan be susceptible to aphids, 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