Dear Master,

I googled 'cherry plum' and it led me to the excellent web site which has a
key for identifying trees and shrubs in summer and winter:
http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees/index.htm
which, as you suggested allowed me to identify the trees as cherry plums.
Decorative trees (similar to flowering cherries) with edible but poor fruit.

Regarding your suggestion of cracking the kernels and testing for a bitter,
almond taste, I am afraid that I have read too many Agatha Christies to be
tempted to do that.

Besides, the other respondent, Syd Rumpo, who seems to know more than a
little about local customs, has already given me a useful warning.

thanks

Davy - PS your English is very good for a Frenchman.

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in message
k...
The message
from "Davy" contains these words:

One plant is bushy, about 10ft high, has oval pointed fine-toothed
leaves
about 3cm long. Fruit light-red about size of a cherry. They taste
like
plums.

Google for 'cherry plum'.

The other is a tree, has oval pointed fine-toothed leaves about 6cm
long.
The fruits are bright yellow, twice the size of a cherry. I haven't
tried
tasting these.

Sounds like another variety of cherry plum.

Take out a stone from each, crack them, and try the kernels. If they are
bitter and taste a bit of almond, then they are very likely some sort of
plum or bullace. They certainly sound like it.

Or better, ask a neighbour who knew the previous incumbent.

--
Rusty
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