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Prunus domestica 'Belle de Louvain' (C)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

plum 'Belle de Louvain'

A self-fertile, culinary plum cultivar. The white spring blossom is followed by oval, dark red fruit ripe with light bloom, turning purple when fully ripe. The flesh is greenish-yellow and freestone (the flesh of the fruit is not attached to the pit). Blossom shows good frost resistance and is shade tolerant. Good disease resistance. Suitable for colder and wetter areas. Cropping season: early to late August. Pollination group 5

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Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
2.5–4 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer White Green Purple Red
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright, 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. Thin fruit if necessary. 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

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Wildlife 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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