Prunus insititia 'Mirabelle de Nancy' (C)

RHS Plant Profile
damson 'Mirabelle de Nancy'
Plants for pollinators
Fruit Edible

A partially self-fertile to self-fertile mirabelle cultivar. The white spring blossom is followed by attractive, small, round, speckled, golden yellow fruit and freestone (where the flesh of the fruit is not attached to the pit). Very good for culinary purposes, though the rich sweet flesh is pleasant to eat fresh. Cold hardy, but the blossom can be prone to spring cold damage. Slow to come to cropping. Cropping season: mid-August. It will cross pollinate with other mirabelle cultivars, plums and damsons

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 Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
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
Accepted
Horticultural Group
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 onto a rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will largely determine the vigour of the tree. Seed raised trees are of variable fruit quality and tree size

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Edible fruit

Pruning

Prune mirabelle trees as for plums - pruning plums

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