Damson
Prunus insititia
Damsons are small, tough plum trees bearing dark blue-black, tart fruit perfect for jams, gin and crumbles. They are classic in British hedgerows and orchards and very easy to grow.
Photo: Benjamin Gimmel, BenHur · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Water in dry spells while fruit swells.
Soil
Moist, well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.5.
Temperature and humidity
-25–30 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed in late winter.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by grafting
Prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf disease.
The flesh is safe; stones and leaves contain cyanide-forming compounds harmful to pets.
Top Cultivation Tips
Self-fertile.
Tolerates exposed sites and makes a good windbreak.
Fruit is best cooked.
Hardy in USDA zones 5–7.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →DiseaseBrown rot
A fungal disease of stone and pome fruit that turns ripening fruit into soft brown rot covered in rings of grey-buff spore pustules.
How to treat it →PestFruit flies
Flies that lay eggs inside ripening fruit; the maggots rot the fruit from within.
How to treat it →DiseaseLeaf spot
Fungal or bacterial infections that cause brown, black or purple spots on leaves, often with a yellow halo, leading to early leaf drop.
How to treat it →DiseaseSilver leaf
A fungal disease of plums, cherries and other fruit trees that gives leaves a silvery sheen and kills branches from the inside.
How to treat it →
