Prunus domestica 'Kirke's' (D)
plum 'Kirke's'
A late-season dessert plum with blue-black skin and sweet, juicy, yellow-green flesh. It is a fairly light cropper and needs a warm, sheltered position. It is self-sterile; pollination group 4
Buy this plant
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, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | White | Green | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Green | Blue | ||
Autumn | Green | |||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical 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
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in full sun in a sheltered position in moist, but well-drained soil, ideally with a pH of 6 to 6.5. Irrigate in dry periods. Thin fruit as required
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 and pruning established fans
Pests
Can suffer from 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
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.