Autumn 2024Order now for delivery from week commencing 14th October for pot grown trees or December for bare-root or mixed tree orders.
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Coe's Golden Drop plum trees

Prunus domestica
Coe's Golden Drop
Check pollinators >
Coe's Golden Drop is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Very late Late October
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 2

Coe's Golden Drop is a traditional yellow English plum, with a very good rich sweet gage-like flavour, but some balancing sharpness. It is widely regarded as one of the best-flavoured of all English plums.

The attractive yellow free-stone plums are valuable for both dessert and culinary use. This versatility, combined with its excellent flavour and large size make it a particularly desirable plum tree for the keen fruit grower.

Coe's Golden Drop plum trees for sale

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £38.75< 5 in stock
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • BR22-year bush-trained bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £47.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • BR32-year half-standard bare-root tree St. Julien rootstock £51.00
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
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Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 14th October for pot grown trees or December for bare-root or mixed tree orders.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Fruit tree delivery to EuropeEU delivery
This variety is also available for delivery to Europe. Contact us for details.

Growing and Training

Coe's Golden Drop is not as easy to grow as most plums. It is quite fussy about its situation - it does best in a sheltered location or trained on a south-facing wall.

The tree is generally healthy and can be quite vigorous on good soils. Cropping is very variable - it is best to assume it will be light, although if the tree likes where you have planted it then cropping can be very good. Pollination is important for best results with this variety - it is not self-fertile so make sure you have a couple of other (different) European plum varieties growing nearby. 

This is essentially a variety for the plum enthusiast, who will, in a good year, be rewarded with perhaps the most refined of English plums.

History

Raised by Jervaise Coe, a market gardener from Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, at the end of the 18th century. Mr Coe stated that it was seedling tree, most likely from an Old Green Gage stone pollinated by a White Magnum Bonum plum tree growing nearby.


Coe's Golden Drop characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillExperienced
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group2
  • Pollinating othersPoor
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesWarm climates

Using

  • Picking seasonVery late
  • CroppingLight
  • Keeping (of fruit)1 week
  • Food usesEating freshCulinary

Problems

  • Disease resistanceAverage

Identification

  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1800 - 1849
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourYellow

Similar varieties

  • See also Jefferson
    Jefferson
    Jefferson is a a large yellow gage / plum, easy to grow, crops well, very juicy and great flavour.

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In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more
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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 whilst 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. Find out more.

This variety description was researched and written by Orange Pippin staff. Last checked: 2024.