Autumn 2024Order now for delivery from week commencing 25th November for pot grown trees or December for bare-root or mixed tree orders.
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Reine Claude Violette plum trees

Prunus domestica
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Reine Claude Violette is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3

Reine Claude Violette is an old French variety, probably dating back to the 18th century. It has the characteristic sweet rich flavour which is so sought-after by plum enthusiasts.

English fruit enthusiast Robert Hogg, writing in the 1880s rates it as "A dessert plum of the greatest excellence, and particularly richly flavoured if allowed to hang on until it shrivels". It is sometimes known as Purple Gage in the UK - whereas most gages are green or yellow, this one has a dusky purple colour when fully ripe.

This is a late-season plum, ripening in the UK in late August - early September.

Reine Claude Violette plum trees for sale

Pot-grown

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

  • PG12-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree VVA-1 rootstock £62.00
    Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
  • PG22-year bush-trained 12L pot-grown tree St. Julien rootstock £60.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £38.75
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts

Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 25th November for pot grown trees or December for bare-root or mixed tree orders.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Reine Claude Violette is fairly easy to grow. It does best in warm dry climates, but is a bit less prone to fruit-splitting in spells of wet weather than some other plums and gages.

Although not well-known in the UK, this variety is still widely grown in France

History

Reine Claude Violette is part of the Reine Claude group of plums, known in the UK as gages. These plums have a characteristic sweet almost melon-like flavour and are usually smaller than regular English plums.


Reine Claude Violette characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillExperienced
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesWarm climates

Using

  • Picking seasonLate
  • CroppingHeavy
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-3 days
  • Food usesEating freshCulinary

Problems

  • Disease resistanceAverage

Identification

  • Country of originFrance
  • Period of origin1750 - 1799
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourPurple - light

British-grown trees Trees grown in the UK.

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
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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.

This variety description was researched and written by Orange Pippin staff. Last checked: 2024.