Aylesbury Prune damson trees

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• Picking season: Late
• Self-fertility: Self-fertile

Aylesbury Prune is a traditional English culinary damson, which used to be grown commercially on a small-scale in the Vale of Aylesbury and surrounding areas of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.

The fruits are small, blue-black in colour, and the stone is clinging.

Aylesbury Prune damson trees for sale

Growing and Training

Although usually trained as a bush-tree for best fruit production, Aylesbury Prune can also be grown as a fruiting hedge.

It is likely to be tolerant of chalk, since the Vale of Aylesbury borders the chalky soils of the Chiltern hills.

History

Aylesbury Prune is assumed to originate from the Vale of Aylesbury, a traditional fruit-growing area to the west of the Chiltern hills. As well as its culinary uses, Aylesbury Prune damsons were also used in the manufacture of clothing dyes.

As with many old damson varieties, its origins are unknown, and it is not even certain whether it is a true damson (Prunus insititia) or a plum (Prunus domestica) or a natural hybrid. However like many damsons it grows relatively true from seed and is also easy to propagate on its own roots.

Aylesbury Prune characteristics

British-grown trees

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions. Find out more.

More about damson trees

Damsons are primarily grown for use in the kitchen - if you can find the space it is definitely worth having at least one damson tree in your fruit tree collection.

Damsons have a distinctive rich flavour, similar but quite different to plums. They are superb for making jams, jellies, crumbles, and pies.

Damsons trees belong to the species Prunus insititia, which also includes Bullaces, St. Juliens, and Mirabelles. Damsons originate from Damascus in Syria and the name comes from the term "Damascene plum". This might suggest they need a Mediterranean climate, but in fact damson trees grow very easily in cold climates or situations where other plum tree species might not flourish. In the UK the centre of commercial damson production is the Lyth valley in Cumbria, north-west England, notable for its wet climate. However, although they can succeed in areas where sunlight is not plentiful, damson trees do not grow well if they are shaded.

Damson trees are therefore a reliable source of fresh fruit in climates where other fruit trees may not succeed. They are also amongst the easiest of fruit trees to grow, needing no pruning once they are established - indeed pruning is not only unnecessary but undesirable with damsons.

For more information about damsons, see Daiv Sizer's guide to damsons (PDF). Pruning guide for damsons - Pots 2 Plots.