damson 'Farleigh Damson'
damson (syn. Prunus Farleigh Damson)
Delivery options
- Standard £7.95
This tree is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: April to May
- Hardiness: fully hardy
First introduced in 1820, 'Farleigh Damson' is a compact, heavy and reliably fruiting culinary damson that is self-fertile. The small fruits are almost black in colour, not quite sweet enough to eat raw, but make fabulous pies, jams and wines. An exceptionally hardy plant that was once used as windbreaks for more tender fruit trees in the south of England.
When planting your damson tree, prepare a hole up to three times the diameter of its root system. Fork over the base of the pit in readiness, incorporating plenty of organic matter into the backfill and planting hole. Avoiding frozen and waterlogged soil, trees should be planted out as they arrive. If you've ordered a bare root tree, soak the roots in a bucket of water for half an hour prior to planting, or if this is not possible, they can be heeled in temporarily, covering their roots with soil, or potted up. Protect from cold, drying winds. Apply a balanced fertiliser in early spring to support growth and and fruiting. Lightly prune in summer to reduce the risk of silver leaf and bacterial canker, to retain an open ‘goblet’ shape and remove any damaged, diseased or broken branches.