I bought a Damson tree a few years back. It produces masses of small
damsons in most years. They are round all around like a marble and
about 18mm dia. The skin is very dark purple and the flesh is
yellowish with a very sweet flavour when ripe.

I always thought it was a 'Merryweather', but now I have checked and
the fruit is too small.

Or at least I think it is.

But what can the variety be ??

We had a thread on this a while back. Have a look on Google at Prunus
sericifera and see if that rings any bells.

Are you refering to Prunus cerasifera or cherry plum ??.

My fruit is a touch smaller in dia and is very deep mauve/purple, its
not red.

The best I can come up with is a Shropshire prune. but not knowing the
actual size I am not sure.

On Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:01:19 +0100, gray wrote
(in article ):



We had a thread on this a while back. Have a look on Google at Prunus
sericifera and see if that rings any bells.

Are you refering to Prunus cerasifera or cherry plum ??.

My fruit is a touch smaller in dia and is very deep mauve/purple, its
not red.

The best I can come up with is a Shropshire prune. but not knowing the
actual size I am not sure.

We have a Shropshire prune (of course!) but the size you originally quoted
and snipped seems a tad smaller than ours. They are however a deep purple,
as you say.


--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Posted through uk.rec.gardening

I am sure I bought this about 15 years ago as a Merryweather from a
well known Isle of Wight nursery.


We have a Shropshire prune (of course!) but the size you originally quoted
and snipped seems a tad smaller than ours. They are however a deep purple,
as you say.

I thought I had better put a photo up.

http://www.gb-online.co.uk/dump/thumb_r3p2.JPG

This is the only 2 fruit left, the others have been eaten or have
started to shrivel up.

The normal colour is very dark, not really as the photo shows.

The stone is plum type (not a round sloe type) and is clinging.

In article ,
gray wrote:

The normal colour is very dark, not really as the photo shows.

The stone is plum type (not a round sloe type) and is clinging.

There were a zillion local varieties of damson until fairly recently,
and all that stone demonstrates is that it is likely to be one (i.e.
a Prunus domestica of the damson type).


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.