Damson
Prunus insititia
The toughest of the plums and a good windbreak as well as a crop; small sharp fruit for jam, gin and cooking.
The damson, damson plum, or damascene, is an edible drupaceous fruit, a subspecies of the plum tree. Varieties of insititia are found across Europe, but the name damson is derived from and most commonly applied to forms that are native to Great Britain. Damsons are small, ovoid, plum-like fruit with a distinctive, somewhat astringent taste, and are widely used for culinary purposes, particularly in fruit preserves and jams.
Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).
At a glance
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Water need
- Medium
- Mature height
- 5 m
- Maintenance
- Low
- Hardiness
- USDA 4–8
- Layers
- canopy, understory
Functional roles
Pollination & soil
Most damsons are self-fertile, so a single tree will crop.
- Soil
- medium/loam, heavy/clay
- pH
- Neutral
Very tolerant, including cold, wet and exposed sites.
Propagation
How to make more of this plant for free — the permaculture way.
When: Lift suckers when dormant
Tough, reliable and self-fertile; great for jam and a windbreak.
Where to get it
Read more
Seed data pending expert review. Identification photo and description are sourced from Wikipedia/Wikimedia; always confirm a plant in person before eating any part of it.