Blossom in early spring, then fruit ripening from early summer to early autumn on a deciduous tree: the damson (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia) is an ancient plum of the British Isles, savoured raw and cooked into jams and pies. Plant it where sunlight is plentiful, in soil at least a bit rich, and the harvest follows.
Damson plum tree facts
| Name | Prunus domestica subsp. insititia |
|---|---|
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Type | fruit tree |
| Height | 16→20 feet (5→6 m) |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Soil | at least a bit rich |
| Foliage | deciduous |
| Flowering | early spring |
| Harvest | early summer to early autumn |
Most varieties of damson originated in the British isles, but a few are native to central Europe. Planting and care will ensure a tasty harvest!
As with most fruit trees, fall is the best season since it helps roots settle in. But spring is also an option if you water during the first summer.
Best locations are those with lots of sunlight. Note that your tree will grow a bit large, even with pruning, so give it space.
Damson work falls into a handful of moments spread across the year. Here is when each one comes round, and why it counts.
| Stage | When | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Planting | Early to late autumn, or spring | Autumn planting helps roots settle in; spring is possible if you water through the first summer |
| Watering after planting | First month after planting | Water every 2 days, during the daytime, unless it is freezing |
| Flowering | Early spring | Blossom opens on a deciduous tree, setting the fruit to come |
| Harvest | Early summer to early autumn | Fruit is picked over a long season, for eating raw or cooking |
| Pruning | Late summer to early autumn | Prune after the harvest, then remove dead wood and suckers |
Keep wounds protected with pruning paste, since plum wounds are slow to heal.
Plum, like its cousin the cherry tree, doesn’t like pruning: wounds take a long time to heal and new growth is more brittle at the joint than a natural-grown branch.
Nonetheless, you’ll have to prune regularly to control growth and promote fruit formation.
In the first year, you’ll have to shape the tree. This is called “directional pruning”. Instead of letting the tree shoot straight up in the sky, you want to train it into a bowl or cup shape.
In the following years, try to keep these structural branches intact, pruning secondary branches back to them at the end of the season.
Indeed, damson plum trees should be pruned at the end of summer or early fall (after the harvest).
On top of fruit rot mentioned above, you’ll likely have to battle rust, aphids or scale, and scab.
Technically, damsons are a sub-species of the common plum. They share a common ancestor, and damson evolved in the mild climates of the British Isles.
This makes it hardy enough to grow in most of Britain and temperate Europe. A further variety is the quetsche (or Alsace damson), which grows in Easter France and Germany.
In the United States, this matches hardiness zones 7-8 and warmer.
Damson plums are ancient varieties, often savored raw and also cooked into delicious jams, pies, and many recipes.
