Plum, Blue Damson, Bare Root

Plum ‘Blue Damson’ (Prunus domestica ‘Blue Damson’)

‘Blue Damson’ is a classic heirloom European plum known for its small, richly flavored fruits with tart skin and sweet, spicy flesh. These intensely flavored plums are ideal for preserving, drying, and making traditional plum jam or plum butter. The tree is cold-hardy, disease-resistant, and compact, making it an excellent choice for home orchards, hedgerows, and food forests. With dependable harvests and beautiful spring flowers, 'Blue Damson' combines ornamental appeal with practical value in regenerative systems.

Key Characteristics

• Rich, tangy fruit ideal for preserving
  ‘Blue Damson’ produces small, dark purple-blue plums with firm flesh and a bold, tart-sweet flavor. Highly prized for traditional jams, jellies, sauces, and baking, the fruit also stores and dries well.
• Cold-hardy and disease-resistant
  This variety is especially well-suited to colder climates and is known for its resistance to common plum diseases like black knot and brown rot. Its reliability makes it a valuable addition to diverse fruit plantings with minimal input.
• Compact tree for small orchards and guilds
  With a mature height of 12–15 feet, ‘Blue Damson’ is easy to manage and prune. Its modest size fits well into smaller orchards, mixed hedgerows, or as part of a layered fruit tree guild in permaculture systems.
• Pollination and productivity
  ‘Blue Damson’ is partially self-fertile but will produce heavier crops when planted with another European plum variety for cross-pollination. Consistent, late-summer harvests make it a favorite for home preservation.
• Early-season blooms for pollinators
  White blossoms appear in early to mid-spring, attracting bees and early-season pollinators. Its bloom time helps extend the flowering period in orchards and edible landscapes.

Product Details

• Sun Requirements: Full sun
• Soil Requirements: Medium, well-drained
• Bloom Time: Mid-season (March–April)
• Bloom Color: White
• Fruit Qualities: Small, tart-sweet, firm flesh, purple-blue skin
• Fruit Uses: Preserving, jam, baking, drying, fresh eating (when fully ripe)
• Fruit Ripening Month: August–September
• Required Chill Hours: Approx. 800–1,000 hours
• Pollination Requirements: Partially self-fertile; better yields with cross-pollination
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8
• Mature Height: 12–15 feet

‘Blue Damson’ is a rugged, heritage plum tree that delivers richly flavored fruit and dependable harvests with minimal care. Perfect for growers looking to add an old-fashioned preserving plum to their orchard or food forest.