About
A small, twiggy, deciduous tree generally with arching or drooping branches. It has white blossom in early spring followed in late summer or early autumn by sweet, juicy fruits with golden or greenish-yellow flesh and green or yellow skin. Many cultivated varieties of gage have been developed from this subspecies.
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 pHNeutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeTrees, Fruit 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 a warm, sheltered position; suitable for fan-training on a south- or west-facing wall. See gage cultivation
PruningPrune regularly depending on how the tree is trained – see pruning plums. Train fan-trained trees in spring. Pruning established fans is carried out in early summer and after harvest
PropagationPropagate by chip budding or grafting onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will largely determine the vigour of the tree
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to plum aphid, red spider mite and winter moth caterpillar. The fruit can be damaged by plum moth caterpillars, wasps and birds
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to silver leaf, bacterial canker and blossom wilt. The fruit can be affected by brown rot. Protect flowers against late frost damage