Prunus domestica 'Purple Pershore' (C)

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plum 'Purple Pershore'

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plum 'Purple Pershore' Frank P Matthews
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A medium-sized, moderately vigorous tree with drooping branches, dark green, oval leaves and white blossom in spring. Produces large, egg-shaped, dark reddish-purple plums with firm, yellow flesh best suited to cooking, in late summer. A heavy but irregurlar cropper which is self-fertile, in pollination group 4

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

2.5-4 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
2.5-4 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

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

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–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)
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, Pendulous weeping
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

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

Grow in a sheltered position in moist, but well-drained soil, ideally with a pH of 6 to 6.5. Best in full sun, but will tolerate some shade. Irrigate in dry periods. Fruit thinning may be required. See plum cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting. Trees grown from stones will not resemble the parent

Suggested planting locations and garden types

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

Pruning

Regular pruning required according to tree form, see pruning plums or pruning established fans

Pests

May be susceptible to plum aphid, caterpillars, fruit tree red spider mite, brown scale, plum moth and bullfinches

Diseases

May be susceptible to peach leaf curl, silver leaf, bacterial canker, blossom wilt and honey fungus