King of the Damsons damson trees
£38.75 - £51.00King of the Damsons damson trees for sale
Choose a size - bare-root
BR11-year bare-root tree,St. Julien rootstock£38.75
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
BR22-year bush-trained bare-root tree,St. Julien rootstock£47.50
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
BR32-year half-standard bare-root tree,St. Julien rootstock£51.00
Large tree
(3m-5m after 10 years)
Out of stock
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Tree specification
Photos of trees as supplied |
Tree sizes and forms
Delivery charges
Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.
All about King of the Damsons damson trees
King of the Damsons, also known as Bradley's King, is a large-fruited traditional purple-blue damson which ripens in September.
The flavour is less astringent and slightly milder than other damsons. The flesh is also fairly dry, which is useful in cooking because it avoids too much liquid getting into the mix.
Unusually amongst damsons, this is a freestone fruit - the stone falls away cleanly from the flesh.
Growing and Training
King of the Damsons is suitable for most areas of the UK.
History
Bradley's King was introduced by a Mr Bradley of Nottingham in the 1880s. It is often known as the King of the Damsons on account of the large fruit size.
King of the Damsons characteristics
- What level of gardening skill is needed to grow King of the Damsons?Beginner
- Is King of the Damsons self-fertile?Self-fertile
- What flowering group is King of the Damsons?2
- Is King of the Damsons good for pollinating others?Average
- What climates is King of the Damsons suitable for?Temperate climatesMild damp climates
- What season do you pick King of the Damsons?Late
- CroppingHeavy
- How long can you keep King of the Damsons in a fridge?1 week
- Food usesCulinary
- What is the overall disease resistance of King of the Damsons?Good
- Where does King of the Damsons originate from?United Kingdom
- When was King of the Damsons first introduced?1900 - 1949
- What colour is the blossom of King of the Damsons?White
- Fruit colourBlue - dark
British-grown trees 
Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK.
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All our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance.
Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS.
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Guaranteed fruit trees
When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden while it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund, subject to some conditions.
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More about damson trees
Damsons are primarily grown for use in the kitchen - if you can find the space it is definitely worth having at least one damson tree in your fruit tree collection.
Damsons have a distinctive rich flavour, similar but quite different to plums. They are superb for making jams, jellies, crumbles, and pies.
Damsons trees belong to the species Prunus insititia, which also includes Bullaces, St. Juliens, and Mirabelles. Damsons originate from Damascus in Syria and the name comes from the term "Damascene plum". This might suggest they need a Mediterranean climate, but in fact damson trees grow very easily in cold climates or situations where other plum tree species might not flourish. In the UK the centre of commercial damson production is the Lyth valley in Cumbria, north-west England, notable for its wet climate. However, although they can succeed in areas where sunlight is not plentiful, damson trees do not grow well if they are shaded.
Damson trees are therefore a reliable source of fresh fruit in climates where other fruit trees may not succeed. They are also amongst the easiest of fruit trees to grow, needing no pruning once they are established - indeed pruning is not only unnecessary but undesirable with damsons.
For more information about damsons, see Daiv Sizer's guide to damsons (PDF). Pruning guide for damsons - Pots 2 Plots.
