--
Derby, England.

Don't try to email me using "REPLY" as the email address is NoSpam. Our
email address is "thewoodies2 at ntlworld dot com"


"David in Normandy" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In article ,
says...

In article ,
"Sue" writes:
|
| Might damsons trees in a hedgerow have the odd thorn or two? This
morning we
| picked what we think are fruits -too -big to- be -sloes but there
were a few
| long thorns on some of the branches. I plan to jam them but if they
are
| sloes they may not yet be sweet enough so they may have to be
"ginned"
| instead!

Yes, but I am afraid that you are confused. They are likely to be
bullaces - the 'wild' damson (and ancestor of modern plums) - probably
introduced by the neolithic farmers.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren

I wondered about bullace but isn't a bullace more of a greeny colour?
(outside I mean). I am just about to jam them now anyway.

Sue W.

Sue W.

In article ,
Jennifer Sparkes writes:
| The message
| from "Sue" contains these words:
|
| I wondered about bullace but isn't a bullace more of a greeny colour?
| (outside I mean). I am just about to jam them now anyway.
|
| IIRC this came up this time last year and surprised me.
|
| If you look at Bullace in Google Images they show both colours ...

That would figure. Clapham, Tutin and Warberg says that they are usually
blue-black or purple - with the implication that they sometimes aren't.
As they are ancestral to all modern plums (including greengages etc.), it
isn't surprising if they have a similar range of colours.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Jennifer Sparkes writes:
| The message
| from "Sue" contains these words:
|
| I wondered about bullace but isn't a bullace more of a greeny colour?
| (outside I mean). I am just about to jam them now anyway.
|
| IIRC this came up this time last year and surprised me.
|
| If you look at Bullace in Google Images they show both colours ...

That would figure. Clapham, Tutin and Warberg says that they are usually
blue-black or purple - with the implication that they sometimes aren't.
As they are ancestral to all modern plums (including greengages etc.), it
isn't surprising if they have a similar range of colours.

Ours are green for a long time - then suddenly turn purple - almost black.
Interestingly they do this even if they're picked while green. Sometimes
they drop off while green and I can't bear to throw them away, that's how I
know.

Mary


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
says...
The message
from "Sue" contains these words:

I wondered about bullace but isn't a bullace more of a greeny colour?
(outside I mean). I am just about to jam them now anyway.

IIRC this came up this time last year and surprised me.

If you look at Bullace in Google Images they show both colours ...

HTH ... Jennifer

Someone last year posted a link to a site with dozens of varieties of
bullace and damsons and the various species involved, needless to say I
can not now remember what I did with it!

--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

In article
Charlie Pridham writes:
| In article ,
| says...
| The message
| from "Sue" contains these words:
|
| I wondered about bullace but isn't a bullace more of a greeny colour?
| (outside I mean). I am just about to jam them now anyway.
|
| IIRC this came up this time last year and surprised me.
|
| If you look at Bullace in Google Images they show both colours ...
|
| Someone last year posted a link to a site with dozens of varieties of
| bullace and damsons and the various species involved, needless to say I
| can not now remember what I did with it!

Ah! Looking on Google has reminded me of the situation. The term
"bullace" is used for the wild or naturalised plum that was probably
introduced to Europe by the neolithic farmers, but it is ALSO used
for garden varieties of what is effectively a green damson (i.e.
essentially a small, strongly flavoured greengage).

Hence the confusion :-)

Anyway, all varieties are edible and excellent ....


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.