Prunus domestica 'Early Laxton' (C/D)
plum 'Early Laxton'
A dual purpose cultivar and one of the earliest to crop. The white spring blossom is followed by mid-sized, round fruit with yellow skin flushed pinkish-red with a pale mauve bloom and very sweet and juicy golden yellow flesh. Crops well and is frost resistant. Cropping season: late July. Pollination group 3
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Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
2.5–4 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | White | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | Yellow Pink Red | ||
| Autumn | Gold Red | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to the UK
- 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
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Tolerant of a range of soils as long as well drained, but prefers loamy, ideally slightly acidic soils pH of 6 to 6.5. Plant in a sunny, sheltered site. Flowers may be susceptible to spring frosts damage. See how to grow: plums for further cultivation details
Propagation
Propagate by chip budding or grafting, although softwood cuttings in early summer with bottom heat can be successful
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- City and courtyard 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 peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus
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