The Damson ‘Shropshire Prune’ is an old English variety, steeped in history and still cherished for its excellent flavour and reliability. It is a delight to the eyes with its froth of white blossom in late spring. Cropping in September is worth the wait for its marvellous tart-flavoured fruit. You can also make your own Damson Gin. Simply delicious. This is a very old English variety, and so you can rely on this hardy tree to thrive even in the North.
A small hardy tree, it is more tolerant of soil and site conditions although it does prefer the sun. It is generally far less susceptible to disease than a regular plum and requires little maintenance although it will thank you for a little mulch, compost or manure in spring. Its self-fertility means it does not require another pollinator, though it does produce a heavier crop when other plums or damsons are nearby.

Damsons, it is said, could be found as far back as ten thousand years ago in history. One of the first domesticated trees, they existed in large growths around Damascus. Then on to Rome and hence to our shores. The mists of time have swallowed information about this tree’s parents. There is a reference to it from the 1670’s, when prunes were a very widely used winter food, naming it as the Shropshire Prune; these days the name Damson Prune is more common. However as we live and grow our trees here in Shropshire we still hold onto its original name.