A generous cloud of blossom in early spring, then small plums with juicy, sweet flesh: the Alsace damson, known locally as quetsche (Prunus domestica insititia), is an old variety grown as much for jams, liquor and dried prunes as for eating straight off the branch. Give it full sun and soil that is rich enough, and it will crop at 16 to 20 feet.
| Name | Prunus domestica insititia |
|---|---|
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Type | fruit tree |
| Height | 16 to 20 feet (5 to 6 m) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | rich enough |
| Foliage | deciduous |
| Flowering | early to mid-spring |
| Harvest | summer to autumn |
This particular damson variety, locally called “quetsche”, is delicious and sweet, and it’s quite ornamental, too. Planting, pruning and caring for it is important to avoid diseases.
Almost everything an Alsace damson asks for is a question of timing. The table below gathers the seasons named in this article, so you can see at a glance what falls due when.
| Task | Season | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | Autumn, or spring outside frosty spells | Autumn planting has the highest success rate for root development the following spring |
| Directional pruning | Late summer to early autumn | In the first year, thin shoots from the trunk to leave 3 or 4 main branches facing outwards |
| Harvest | Summer to autumn | Fruit eaten fresh from the tree, or preserved as jams, liquor, pastries or dried prunes |
| Clean-up after picking | Early autumn, once the crop is in | Take out dead wood and fragile branches, destroy unfallen fruit, and remove suckers at the base |
| Feeding | Manure in autumn, fruit tree fertiliser in spring | Greatly enhances fruit-bearing the following season |
Keep to these seasons and the tree largely looks after itself, with mulch at the foot of the trunk doing the rest.
Favor planting in fall or in spring but avoid freezing temperatures.
Remember that for all fruit trees, the best period for planting is fall, because this season has the highest success rate for root development in spring.
It’s recommended to prune only what is strictly necessary because plum trees are delicate and wounds make it vulnerable to diseases.
After each cut, apply pruning paste like pine tar to protect the wood from fungus and other diseases.
Nonetheless, you may perform directional pruning in the first year to shape the structure of the tree. The goal here is to thin out shoots from the trunk to end up with 3 or 4 main branches facing outwards.
Like all pit trees, notably the cherry tree, pruning is performed at the end of the summer or in the beginning of fall.
Once you have harvested the plums, remove dead wood and fragile branches.
Remove fruits that haven’t fallen from the tree – they are often diseased – and destroy them.
Also, remove suckers, which are those shoots that emerge at the base of the tree.
Quetsche plums tree are fruit trees for which fruits are both eaten fresh from the tree as common damson, and preserved. This can be done in various manners such as jams, liquor, pastries or simply desiccated as dried prunes.
Plum trees are also grown as ornamental plants since their blooming is generous at the beginning of spring and their foliage stays appealing until the leaves fall off.
Fruit-bearing will be greatly enhanced if manure is added at the base of the Alsace damson plum tree in fall, and if fruit tree fertilizer is added in spring.
This rather ancient variety is one of the most famous and one of the most tasty. It is particularly sought after for its juicy and sweet flesh.
Read more about insects and diseases that attack plum trees:
Mulch the foot of the trunk to avoid weeds, protect roots from the cold during winter and retain moisture in the summer.
