Prunus domestica 'Early Laxton' (C/D)

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plum 'Early Laxton'

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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

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, 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

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or 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)
H6

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
Unresolved
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

Cherries suitable for culinary use have a tart flavour and are best cooked or made into a puree

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