Prunus domestica subsp. italica (D)

Synonyms

Prunus domestica 'Greengage'

Trees Fruit Edible

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A small, twiggy, deciduous tree generally with arching or drooping branches. It has white blossom in early spring followed in late summer or early autumn by sweet, juicy fruits with golden or greenish-yellow flesh and green or yellow skin. Many cultivated varieties of gage have been developed from this subspecies.

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 2.5-4 metres
Max Height: 2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Prunus can be deciduous or evergreen trees or shrubs with showy flowers in spring, and often good autumn foliage colour. Some have edible fruit in autumn, and a few species have ornamental bark
Name Status: Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Dessert cherries are sweet and juicy and are best eaten picked fresh and raw

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in a warm, sheltered position; suitable for fan-training on a south- or west-facing wall. See gage cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will largely determine the vigour of the tree

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
City and courtyard gardens
Wildlife gardens
Edible fruit
Wall side borders

Pruning

Prune regularly depending on how the tree is trained – see pruning plums. Train fan-trained trees in spring. Pruning established fans is carried out in early summer and after harvest

Pests

May be susceptible to plum aphid, red spider mite and winter moth caterpillar. The fruit can be damaged by plum moth caterpillars, wasps and birds

Diseases

May be susceptible to silver leaf, bacterial canker and blossom wilt. The fruit can be affected by brown rot. Protect flowers against late frost damage