bullace - Memidex dictionary/thesaurus bullace a small wild or half-domesticated Eurasian plum bearing small ovoid fruit in clusters Class: from Old French beloce, from Medieval Latin bolluca, perhaps of Gaulish origin (Source: Collins Dictionary) [more] Wikipedia: Bullace a variety of plum. It bears edible fruit similar to those of the damson, and like the damson is considered to be a strain of the insititia subspecies of Prunus domestica. Although the term has regionally been applied to several different kinds of "wild... "damson" (specific sense) | [United States] "muscadine" (6 of 17 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation, 1 image ) Collins Dictionary: bullace a small Eurasian rosaceous tree, "Prunus domestica insititia" (or "P. insititia"), of which the damson is the cultivated form "plum" (20 of 279 words, pronunciation) bullace | Prunus domestica [species] a thorny shrub or small tree with small purple-black plum-like fruits.

The damson is probably a cultivated form.; Prunus domestica subsp. insititia ... (22 of 55 words, pronunciation) damson | bullace | Prunus insititia [species, sense-specific] A Eurasian plum tree "(Prunus insititia") cultivated since ancient times for its edible fruit. | The oval, bluish-black, juicy plum of this tree. (22 of 51 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation) a European plum (Prunus domestica insititia) with small ovoid fruit in clusters (12 of 34 words, pronunciation) A small European plum (Prunus communis, var. insitita). | The bully tree. (11 of 12 words, 2 definitions) Prunus [plant genus] genus of more than 400 species of flowering shrubs and trees, in the rose family. The genus Prunus has great economic importance as it includes the ... Columbia Encyclopedia: plum | cherry plum common name for a tree of any of many species of the genus "Prunus" of the family Rosaceae (rose family) and for its fruit, a drupe.

The plum is ... (29 of 471 words) plum | plums [plural] [countable] a small round fruit with purple, red, or yellow skin and a large hard seed inside. It grows on a plum tree. | [uncountable] a colour that ... (27 of 56 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation) plum [adjective] between red and purple in colour | a plum job or position is one that many people wish they could have because it's very good (24 of 47 words, 2 definitions, pronunciation) bullace | Eat The Table Eat The Table by Noëlle Janaczewska ‘Beautiful spring weather,’ wrote George Orwell in 1940. ‘Heard the cuckoo (first time). Many midges about now. Bullace blossom pretty well out.’ The man who took us down The Road to Wigan Pier and into the dystopia of Nineteen Eighty-four once said: ‘Outside my work the thing I care most about is gardening.’ And his diaries bloom with sunflowers, cabbages, marigolds—and plums. Because that’s what the bullace is: a member of the large plum family.

Plums herald the glorious glut-months of late summer, when stone fruits are cheap and plentiful—and autumn is just around the corner. (It’s probably un-Australian, but I don’t like summer and am always relieved when we reach the season’s hinge.) You might these days find more varieties of plums at growers’ markets than in the supermarket, but I bet you won’t find any bullaces. I’d never heard of them until a few years ago. I was visiting my mother in England; it was the end of September and the hedgerows were a mass of plants grumbling for sun and air. Heavy with thistle-down, rose-hips, and a small oval fruit my mother popped in her mouth before I could say: Don’t eat that! It could be poisonous, you don’t know what it is. But she did know what it was: a bullace. Archaeologists have unearthed bullace stones dating back to Saxon Britain and before, but there’s no consensus about whether the bullace is an English native or an early import.

For horticulturalist H V Taylor (The Plums of England, 1949) it’s ‘the only truly English plum’, whereas John Lewis-Stempel (Foraging: The Essential Guide to Free Wild Food, 2012 ) says it’s ‘not native to these isles’ and was brought to Britain by the Romans. Together with damsons, the bullace belongs to the insititia subspecies of Prunus domestica. Unlike damsons though, bullaces come in different colours. Some varieties are ‘Black’ i.e. dark bluish purple, others have yellow flesh and are called ‘White’. Dark varieties of bullace resemble damsons, but they usually ripen 4—6 weeks later. The dark varieties also get confused with the closely related sloe a.k.a. blackthorn. Actually the presence or absence of thorns is an easy way to distinguish the two: If the tree or bush is thorny you’re looking at sloes. Bullace plants are thorn-free. The bullaces my mother and I picked that day had yellowy-green skins with a red blush. Their flavour was tart, so I made them into jam.

During the first decades of the twentieth century commercially produced plum jam was the default, and many low-income households saw no other kind. Decades later, plum jam was still the cheapest option. All the jam we ate when I was growing up was homemade, but I remember seeing tins of IXL plum jam imported from Australia in the school kitchen. According to my mother, bullaces and damsons make a tastier, more complex jam than regular plums—which can produce a bland confection. Even so, she recommended the addition of cinnamon or orange zest and/or a slug of Cointreau to ‘liven up’ my bullace jam. Another option is to gather some blackberries and crab apples along with your bullaces and make an autumn hedgerow jam. Do we have bullaces in Australia? That wonderful reference The Complete Book of Fruit Growing in Australia mentions them briefly, by way of background, in its chapter on stone fruit. But I’ve never seen bullaces here, and I suspect most contemporary gardeners would agree with Walter P Wright (An illustrated Encyclopaedia of Gardening, 2010) that the bullace is ‘a fruit hardly worth growing’.

I don’t think that, nor did the cooks of the past: Mrs Beeton suggested bullace pudding as part of a Sunday menu; you come across recipes for bullace cheese (a kind of plummy fudge) in a number of nineteenth century cookbooks, while The Country Housewife and Lady’s Director in the Management of a House, and the Delights and Profits of a Farm, circa 1732, tells you how to preserve your harvest: ‘Take your Bullace before the Frost has taken them; let them be fresh gather’d, and clear Fruit, scald them in Water: then take their weight in fine Sugar, with a little Water, and boil it to a Syrup; then put in your Bullace, and boil them till the Syrup is very thick, and your Fruit very clear.’ I’ve made damson curd (like lemon only with damsons) and because bullaces have a similar sharpness I reckon you could also make curd with them. Odd things curds, a preserve but not quite a preserve … a subject for anther post perhaps? What else? Well, bullace vodka, of course.

Lots of recipes for this, but here’s mine: For every litre of vodka, add about 450 grams of bullaces, and about 100 grams of sugar. Wash the bullaces, remove any leaf litter and pierce the skin of each fruit with a knife-point. Put them into a large glass jar, add the sugar (taste it in a month and add more sugar if you want a sweeter taste) and vodka. Make sure the lid is on tight, and shake. Store in a dry, dark place. The first few weeks, give it a daily shake, then once or twice a week. It’ll be ready in 3-4 months, the sugar will be gone and it’ll have a slightly treacly texture. Decant it carefully through a fine mesh into a bottle/s. Makes a nice gift—or you can drink it yourself. Śliwowica or slivovitz is produced commercially and in back rooms and outhouses across central and eastern Europe. The name derives from the various Slavic words for plum.

It’s śliwka in Polish, śliwki for plums plural, and the spirit distilled from them (śliwowica) gets translated as both plum vodka and plum brandy. Amongst Jewish communities śliwowica is a popular tipple during Passover when grain-based alcohols are forbidden. It’s usually a clear liquid, but your bullace vodka will be either inky-dark (like sloe gin) or a deep rusty red, depending on whether you use black or white bullaces. This photo isn’t enough of a close up to see them, but it’s one of the hedgerows in north-east Hertfordshire where we collected our bullaces that day in September. I can’t say whether they were wild, garden escapees, or some kind of hybrid because, as H C Watson wrote to Darwin in 1855, ‘between the plum-tree of the garden & the sloe-bush of the hedges, there exist numerous intermediate forms or links’.

What I can say is that during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries fruiting trees and shrubs like sloe and bullace were sometimes planted around the edges of enclosed fields and woodlands to provide food for the peasantry … Sydney, 1914, a visiting English geneticist called William Bateson gave a lecture about heredity. I’m paraphrasing, but he used this analogy to explain the nature/nurture relationship: The peasant was a bullace, the upper class a cultivated plum. With the right nurturing the bullace could become a better bullace, ‘but plums they can never be.’ Hmm. I began this post with a writer so I’m going to end it with 2 more literary references to the bullace.

Instead of the familiar ‘sloe-eyed’ how about this comparison from a seventeenth century ballad A Sing-Song on Clarinda’s Wedding by Robert Fletcher: ‘The sparkling bullice [sic] of her eyes Like two eclipsed suns did rise’ And from Christina Rossetti’s Goblin Market: ‘Morning and evening Maids heard the goblins cry: “Come buy our orchard fruits … Pomegranates full and fine, Plum Trees | Buy Plum Trees Online | Ashridge Trees Trusted by over 80,000 gardeners 12 month guarantee on all plants Free delivery on orders over £50 Over 2,500 plant varieties available All plants are packed safely and securely All plants are reviewed for suitability in your area Dear Catherine, I am delighted with the Pear tree. It is a lovely shape and in excellent condition, well packed and transported. It is already in the ground, looking perfect. Thank you for the advice and attention to detail. Kind regards,Yvonne Gil all the hedge plants arrived safely and the great packaging meant that their roots were still damp. They're all in and we're watering regularly - looking forward to seeing first leaves.

This is the 4th time I've ordered hedge plants from you and I laid the hedge we planted at our allotment site last year - great plants have now made a lovely hedge... here's a photo!Miranda Many thanks for delivering the damson tree and accessories before Christmas. It is now in the ground and looks to be a splendid tree. Also thank you for the refund of the postage and packaging it has now landed in my account. The Naked Wines Voucher was a welcome surprise. I hope to do business with you again in the New Year Best Wishes and a Merry ChristmasMike In response to your email checking the safe delivery of my order, may I thank you for the superb secure packaging and the excellent quality of the plants.Richard Thanks for the great service. Tree delivered & delighted with quality - thanksJan Hi there, I have just completed a Feefo survey. Just thought I would let you know how great the lady who served me on the phone was. I needed some plants for my gardener the following day (and I rang quite late). The lady said it wasn't possible so I said OK. Shortly afterwards she rang me back...... She had arranged for next day delivery.

I'm sorry I can't remember her name, she sounded quIte young but her service was outstanding, super helpful. The plants turned up the following morning and I was really pleased with the quality, size and price of the plants and my gardener was very impressed too. Will definitely order from you again Thank you Sian Borley Our order arrived on time Tuesday & was found to be all in good condition & correct when opened on Saturday, it is now all well planted & waiting for Spring....Many thanks to the teams again for a first rate delivery of good quality plants, selected from native hedgingPeter A Hello Catherine…. yes the plants arrived and have been planted. All had very good roots and were healthy. We are very pleased. Chris Thank you, Ms Young. I received the order last Thursday (7 April), as scheduled. Everything was included and arrived in perfect condition. The plants have already been planted. I am grateful for your help.Elemer Szabadi My lavender hedge has just arrived, beautifully packed and in perfect condition.

Many thanks - I'm looking forward to getting the plants into the ground and watching them flourish!Kate Your/our tree arrived in perfect condition this morning and was planted, fed, watered, staked, rabbit-guarded within a couple of hours. It looks really lovely and we are delighted with it: looking forward to enjoying it for many years. Thank you very much.Gill Many thanks for the lovely Vilmorinii Kind regards John All trees received, well packed and ready to plant, along with rootgrow. Time to get digging!Mike Dear Ashridge Nurseries I have always been impressed with your service and all the goods I have bought have been great. But I am absolutely thrilled with my Rowan tree planted in my front border recently. It looks wonderful and I can't wait to see the leaves, blossom and fruit come out. Many, many thanksBarbara Thurston Thank you Ashridge Trees, my order delivered Wednesday 9th in excellent condition, great rooting system a prime example of this product, well pleased.I will shop again.Doug Sainsbury Thank you very much for the splendid Syringa Beauty of Moscow.

It arrived in perfect condition and it was so lovely to have it within days of ordering.Hilary Catchpole I received the Cider Apple trees and the Discovery pollinator this morning in the rain. That has kept them nice and moist as I unwrapped the huge parcel. For maidens, I'd expected trees either 5ft or a bit shorter, similar to ones received from other suppliers in the past. Yours were over 6ft and all in blossom. All in exemplary condition and well-branched. I shall need to put them in deeper pots for the time being, having been doused in rootgrow gell and shakings of the dry rootgrow to give them head start before planting them properly, where they are intended to grow on. I cannot thank you enough as these five trees will last a lifetime. Ashridge trees come highly recommended by me. I now look forward to making my own cider in the years to come.Myra Dear All at Ashridge Trees Thank you so much for supplying us with our 5 trees as ordered. They were packaged with such care and clearly by people who adore their job and love their trees ! We took great delight in unwrapping and planting them.

All the family helped dig the planting holes and fill them again. Wishing each tree welcome in its new home. Petitioning them for ‘delicious eating apples’, ‘ crumble apples’, ‘pears for supper’ and ‘plums and gages for puddings’. We will take care of our new charges and reap the fruits of their labours for years to come. With kind regardsThe Tompkins family. I just wanted to say how very pleased I am with the trees I ordered from you. They arrived on Thursday. Sue Coates I have received my plants and trees and I must say that I am extremely pleased they are in an amazing condition and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ashridge for confidence in buying on line for quality and delivery, well done !!!Ann Race I just wanted to say how impressed I am with your web site together the efficient service and advice I have received.Russ Mathieson Order was delivered yesterday, just unpacked it all, everything is fine and dandy thank you for an excellent service.

Keep doing what yer doing!Tom Vowles I was very impressed with the quality,health ,condition and size of the trees supplied with my order .An excellent reflection on your Company.John Turner Can I just say a huge thank you for the Christmas trees that arrived on Tuesday. By a mile the best we have ever had - fresh as a daisy and excellent shape. Coupled with which they were great value for money compared with some of the trees being offered locally.Simon Hi gardeners, Thank you for the speedy delivery. My personal plants are excellent. Two out of three now in my garden. Thank goodness for the mild spell. Each one full of promise and look forward to their fruits. Thank you for your care. Jennifer Thank you for safe arrival of order. Beautiful healthy plants to add to previous orders. A really good service. Best wishesJessica Crichton Dear Ashridge Nurseries Many thanks for the cotoneaster simonsii delivered today in excellent order with really good root systems – much appreciated. With kind regardsPenny Thank you once again for excellent service.

You delivered our well packed trees early Friday morning as promised and in between the showers we were able to get them planted.Brian Knowles I just wanted to tell you how delighted I am with the Victoria plum tree you delivered today. It arrived in perfect condition and is a fine specimen. I enjoyed planting it this afternoon. It replaces a rather poor one, from one of your competitors, which never thrived for eight years and died this yearMr. K Thank you to everyone at Ashridge Nurseries for your prompt and efficient service from taking the order to delivery. I will not hesitate to either purchase from you again or recommend you to friends.Lesley Atkinson Thank you so much, my order has arrived - already. Now that really is good service, it just couldn't be better. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Stephanie (Hibberd) Hi The beech hedging arrived safely and was planted within the hour of delivery. The root system is absolutely fantastic and I'm really impressed with the quality of the plants. Many thanksGill Just to let you know how pleased I am with my tree. It is a lovely specimen and arrived in very good condition on the date you gave me.

I also found the planting video very helpful. The whole service couldn’t be better Thanks Faith GrahamFaith Thank you for the excellent quality of the trees. They arrived at 12 pm and were planted and watered in by 3 30pm. The root balls ware so substantial that we had to make the trench wider in places.Pat Bailey It came a lot quicker than I had expected and I'd like to congratulate you on your excellent packaging. It was easy to handle and the plants were held firm. A change from other plant orders I've received from some suppliers.Lorraine Thank you, yes, I have received my order and am extremely pleased with everything you have sent and the way all the plants and trees were protected. I definitely will be a future customer and will recommend you to others. Thank you again,Lori order received in very good shape and we are very pleased with the quality of the plants and with the service we have received. So many thanks!Paul Medlicott Thank you Ashridge! My trees arrived safely yesterday and I am delighted with both the quality and condition as well as the very efficient service and advice. I will certainly recommend you to others.Ian Oxfordshire I have received all of my order with no issues.

I would just like to say how impressed me and my neighbours were with the whole process. Everything from the support to the delivery and packaging was excellent. I have passed on the website details to my neighbours who helped me with planting and choices. Hugh Fraser I bought a tall Christmas tree from you this year and it just had to be the best one I have ever, ever had. I usually buy 2-3 trees each Christmas for family in Somerset, London and Cheshire from various nurseries and shops but I have never had one that kept its needles,colour and shape - and looked as good waiting to go on the bonfire as it was when I first bought it some weeks before Christmas. Thank you,Ursula Inglis-Jones Have just had our Christmas tree delivered, and have put it up-the reason for ordering our tree from you was because I have just had a major operation and cannot go out or drive until the new year-I saw your website, and your guarantee if not satisfied you will collect the tree free of charge-I was hoping it would be okay. It is the best tree we have ever purchased!

Tall and bushy with lots of lovely branches, the stump cut nicely, it stands up nice and straight And smells absolutely wonderful-thank you so much for helping to make this Christmas very special for us all-we have decided to order our tree from you every year now. We are extremely satisfied customers. Wishing you All a very Happy Christmas. Thank YouTina Langridge Just wanted to drop you a note to say how pleased we are with our tree. It's an excellent shape and you had packed it so carefully, we especially appreciated the bamboo cane to keep the top well protected. "Bruce the Spruce" is installed, decorated and looking gorgeous in our hall. Thank you very much indeed. Shelley Lawson This is to all the staff that run your company!! WELL DONE! It makes a change to deal with a professional company, quality goods, well packaged, helpful, knowledgeable, and efficient staff. If only all companies were like yourself. Yes the trees are in (touch wood!) this weather should help, let's hope they take Jo Peel I want to say an enormous thank you for the tree you supplied. It exceeded all my expectations.

It was an absolute pleasure buying from you and look forward to ordering from you again, in the future. To everyone at Ashridge...thank you...you are awesome. :-)DONNA BROWN Hedge planted - am delighted . Fingers crossed it springs into action! Ashridge were terrific thank you - and hedge planting video on website .Laura Field I just wanted to thank you for your continued support. We were initially warned to be wary buying any kind of trees of hedging from an online supplier, but you have proved any suspicions were totally unfounded. Not only were you very competitive on price, your continued support has been invaluable. Our first planting did not go strictly as planned, but your advice, professionalism and customer service has been second to none. You have been patient, courteous, always respond promptly and provided sound professional advice. I have found this level of service totally refreshing, and would have no hesitation in recommending Ashridge Trees to any future potential customers. Thank you once again. Sam Dey Docton Mill Gardens, Devon Narcissi, primulas, camellias, rhodos, azaleas, bluebells and twenty-five varieties of magnolia promise a spectacular display.

Chatterpie Hi Catherine, I know its probably an automated email but many thanks for the enquiry about my order and delivery. I couldn't be happier, the bare root tree/standard I got delivered was much bigger, healthier and shapely than I expected. It was extremely well packed too. I'll certainly be ordering from you guys again. Mark LEWIS Many thanks for the Rosa glauca which were delivered this afternoon and which are now in the ground. They look splendid plants. Thank you for your good service. I am sure I will be dealing with you again.Mo Bennett I just wanted to thank you for the way you have dealt with my order. The plants are of a very high quality and arrived in excellent packaging and as planned, the whole transaction has been first class from ordering to delivery . I just wanted to acknowledge this and thank you again for the excellent way it's been dealt with.Chris Gardner Received recent order and as usual it arrive in excellent packaging.Plants in superb condition.I know I can always rely on you. Many thanks.Mike Many thanks for our recent delivery of 40 lavender Blue Hidcote. I would like to thank you for the care you have taken over this order.

The plants are very good quality and were well packaged. I also appreciated the post-delivery email to check all was well.Lygo Roberts Thank you for our Victoria plumb tree; as usual it was packaged perfectly to protect the excellent shaped tree within > we planted it this afternoon!Nikki Well packed, great communication throughout, impressed. First time I’ve bought from you, but will certainly do so again.Rob Can we just say a big thank you for your fabulous service and the quality of the produce? We will not hesitate to recommend you.Martyn and Sally Webb. My order has arrived safely and I would like to say that the plants were all in great condition. Planting is now complete today(Sunday) and look great in situ. Thank you for your efficient and high quality service. Many thanks,Helen (Orrell) Dear Mary, Mae and Sarah In response to your email below I would like to tell you that we very happy with our 4 trees (3 x Himalayan Birch and 1 Common Alder) that we ordered from you. The trees are all happily tucked up in the soil of our paddock.

In particular I'd like to praise your website and the email contact that you kept up while we were waiting for all our order to be available (the common alder delayed things quite a bit - not a problem for us though). The video on help with planting a tree was really good, although I was extremely jealous of your soil - ours is heavy clay! The other important point I'd like to praise with your service concerns the way the trees had been packaged, not a single bud was damaged. You'd also sent us great specimens. The latter is a very important point as when ordering on-line, its not as though we can pick and choose the actual tree ourselves. In summary its a big thank you from usNikki Just wanted to say how delighted we all were with the service, quality of the tree and prompt delivery. Thank-you! We spent the weekend decorating the house for Christmas, and my wife and two you boys were so pleased and excited at putting the lights on the real tree outside! We'll be using you again, next year and every year! All the best for Christmas and the New Year!Marc Just thought I’d let you know we are very pleased with the tree, it was delivered on time and is of top quality.Mr.

Johnson Our trees arrived safely yesterday, for which many thanks. We will be planting them tomorrow. We are most impressed with the quality of your customer service and will recommend you to others without hesitation. Jan Yes my order(s) has been received and just want to say many thanks for your excellent service and brilliant website, advice etc. Everything planted!Naomi Beautifully packed. Now planted and looking very well.Myra Brown Thank you so much, Catherine & Co.! The tree arrived this afternoon along with the rhubarb. It was so well-packed that it took me almost an hour to unravel all the tape, bubblewrap and such. The tree looks great. It has had some compost put around its roots in a breathable bag for this evening and the rhubarb root planted in a pot; I won't plant that out until Spring is around the corner. I find they don't like sitting in cold, damp soil over the Winter when establishing. Thank you again for all your kind help and valued advice. I certainly know where to come next time!Ruth Dear Ashridge I have now received the plants as ordered and want to say how impressed with the 50 Dwarf Box plants ordered. The speed of delivery was truly amazing !

In addition, the telephone advice which was given was 'second to none ; and I will not hesitate to deal with you again. Very Many Thanks for sending me these 'quality plants' and here's hoping we can look after and endure them for may years to come.Joseph Hi - everything perfect with my order of snowdrops in the green - all now planted - some still flowering - sure to be back again - excellent service and plants - thank you Maureen Your package arrived this morning all in perfect order. I wish all transactions were this good (PERFECT). I hope that we do business again in the near future.David Spragg Bare Root vs Pot Grown Bare-root Plants are only delivered in the winter season, from November to May. Pot grown plants can be delivered all year round Advantages of Bare-root plants: You pay less for the same size plants. You can carry and plant them easily. Ashridge Trees: Bareroot plants vs Pot-Grown Explained Bare-root Plants are only delivered in the winter season, from November to May. Pot grown plants can be delivered all year round Advantages of Bare-root plants: You pay less for the same size plants. You can carry and plant them easily.

You only plant them in winter, so they need less maintenance after planting. The ground is naturally wet for their first few months. You get the biggest selection: Many trees are not sold pot-grown. They are "asleep" in winter - this is the best time to transplant any tree. They use fewer fertilisers & fungicides, less water and less packaging and fuel in their production & delivery. Advantages of Pot Grown plants: Pot grown plants can be delivered & planted all year round. Plants with tender roots & larger specimens must be delivered in pots. Plants in pots can be kept for months longer if there is a delay in planting. Our Advice to You: If you can't wait to get planting, order Pot grown plants now. If you are not in a hurry, order bare-root plants for delivery this winter. In both cases it is usually a good idea to order early.

Plums - Innvista Plums (Prunus sp— Family Rosaceae) Plum prune (French), Pflaume (German), ciruela (Spanish), ameixa (Portugese), susina/prugna (Italian), pruim (Dutch), blomme (Danish), plommon (Swedish), plomme (Norwegian), luumu (Finnish), sliva (Russian/Bulgarian), sliwka (Polish), szilv (Hungarian), sljiva (Serbo-Croat), pruna (Romanian), damaskino (Greek), li zi (Chinese), sumomo (Japanese), prém (Indonesian) Another member of the Rose family , plums now have thousands of varieties all differing in size, shape, and flavor. All originated from three main types: European, Japanese, and Western Asian. Related to the apricot , peach , sloe, and cherry , plums have a particularly close relationship with the cherry. The distinction is one mainly of size. During the Middle Ages, the word “plum” virtually meant any dried fruit.

This usage is still seen in the “plum puddings” and “plum cakes”. Deciding what is a plum and what is not is no easy matter. For example, bullaces, and greengages are all plums in a general sense, although usually called by their own names. Bullace, black bullace, white bullace (Prunus instititia – Family Rosaceae) grow wild in Europe. A bullace is a small round plum and generally has a bluish-purple skin, with a very strong acidy flesh. The so-called “white” bullaces are pale greenish-yellow. Bullaces can be found throughout Europe in late autumn, growing in thorny hedgerows long after other wild fruits are finished. Because of their extreme tartness, bullaces are not eaten raw, but do make very good jams and other preserves. Mirabelle plum is a French specialty and closely allied to the damson and bullace. It is usually classified as a variety of P. instititia, although some regard it as a hybrid of P. cerasifera and P. domestica.

The variety known as Mirabelle de Nancy is believed to have come from the East in the 15th century to France, where it is still highly rated. The Mirabelle de Metz was first recorded in 1675. Damson plum (P. instititia var. syriaca) prune de Damas (French), Dämaszenerpflaume (German), susina di Damasco/prugna damaschina (Italian), ciruela damascena (Spanish), kræge/damascenerblomme (Danish), krikon (Swedish), damaskonluumu (Finnish), chernosliv (Russian), sliwka damaszka (Polish), bardaklija/damaska sljiva (Serbo-Croat), damaskine (Greek) Damson is a small plum-like fruit believed to have derived from the bullace. It is considered to be a product of the Near East, even in Roman times, and takes its name from Damascus. It has a deep, blue-black skin with an attractive bloom. The flavor is very strong and tart, making it more suitable for cooking than eating raw.

Once sweetened and cooked, the Damson develops a pleasantly spicy flavour. An English tradition is damson cheese, which is similar to quince cheese. Damson cheese is a very thick fruit pulp boiled with sugar to make a solid jam which can then be eaten with breads. The cheese is an acquired taste as it must be aged for several months before eaten. The Damson usually grow wild in hedgerows, but it is also commercially available. Green Gage (Prunus insititia) is the English name for a group of especially good plums derived from the bullace. They usually have green skins that are sometimes tinged with yellow or rose pink which turn golden as the fruit ripens. There are many varieties of green gages but all have firm flesh and a delicious honeyed flavor. Transparent gages have fine translucent flesh and if held up to a light, the shape of the stone can clearly be seen. These golden gages have a particularly sweet flavor. The Green Gage was named after Sir Thomas Gage, who received stocks from his brother in France early in the 18th century.

This gesture was made by the gardener who discovered that the labels on the trees were lost and he had to give them a suitable name – no doubt, a wise employee. Wild green gages from Asia Minor were probably introduced into Britain by the Romans, but disappeared from cultivation until Sir Thomas Gage brought them from France. In France, they are known as Reine-Claude named after the wife of Francois I, who reigned from 1494-1547. The original type is thought to have come from Armenia. In 1790, William Prince planted the pits of twenty-five quarts of Green Gage plums, which produced trees yielding fruits of every colour. Out of them came the Imperial Gage, which was later taken to England under the name of Denniston’s Superb. Also produced were the Red Gage, Prince’s Gage, and the Washington plum. In 1828, the Prince Nursery offered for sale 140 different kinds of plums. This nursery alone is credited with doing more than any other for the advancement of plum-growing in America. The fruits of P. cerasifera may be called cherry plums or myrobalans ( emblic s).

Wild plums were first cultivated by the Assyrians over 2,000 years ago, and then adopted by the Romans, who hybridized them. Pliny wrote of the huge numbers of cross-breeds available. The Chinese also cultivated plums early and developed the species P. salicina, the Japanese plum. It first came to the notice of western botanists who found it growing in Japan, and thus the association in the name. It was the Crusaders who are credited with taking the plum to Europe, where it was first cultivated in the gardens of medieval monasteries in England. About 1369, Chaucer described one such garden with its “ploumes” and “bulaces”. In addition, several varieties of plum are indigenous to North America, but European settlers also brought other varieties with them. Today, plums are grown in virtually every temperate climate of the world. Plums are high in sugar; therefore, they have no starch. Consequently, they will not become sweeter after being picked; but their pectic enzymes will dissolve some of the pectin, causing them to soften. This action can be halted with refrigeration.

Plums have only moderate amounts of soluble gums and pectins in the flesh, as well as small amounts of cellulose and the noncarbohydrate food fiber lignin in the skin. Although plums are a good source of vitamins A and C and potassium, they have very little protein and only a trace of fat, and they do contain more antioxidants than any other fruit. There are over 2,000 varieties of plum, ripening at different times throughout the summer and autumn; but only a dozen or so are available commercially. Japanese varieties are large, round, and juicy. They can be purplish-red with orange flesh or orangey-yellow with yellow flesh. Generally, dark-colored plums have bitter skins, while the red and yellow varieties tend to be sweeter. Most dessert plums can be cooked, as well as eaten raw. They can also be canned or frozen. The colour of the fruit can vary from blue-black to purple to red, green, and yellow. Plums generally have a long season, with one variety or another being available all year round. All plums have smooth skins and juicy, acidic flesh.

Dessert plums are usually larger than cooking plums, and can be up to four inches in length. They are sweet and very juicy. Cooking plums are drier with a tart flesh, making them ideal for pies or jam. Dessert plums include the following: Denniston’s Superb, Gaviota, Burbank, and Victoria, which is the most prolific of all the dessert plums. Victorias were first cultivated in 1840 from a stray seedling found in Sussex, England. Since then, these large oval, reddish-yellow fruits have found their way round the world, and are good raw or cooked. Cooking plums include the following: Beach plums (Prunus americana sp) is a wild relative of the cultivated plum. It is an American native which grows profusely along the sandy shores of New England. Its thick white blossoms are to be seen in May; and, although highly prized, the bushes fruit only sporadically, and all efforts to cultivate them have failed. The fruits have a sour flavour and are used mainly in jams, a New England specialty.

Cherry plums or mirabelles, The Cherry Plum, or Myrobalan, occurs in various forms, being particularly associated with the region of the Caucasus. The finest variety of prune plums is the d’Agen, grown in France and California. These are sold complete with stones, and must be soaked overnight before being cooked. This is the most famous prune plum and was named after a town in Aquitaine in the south west of France, which lies on the edge of the prune region rather than the center of it. This is because the Canal du Midi passes through the town of d’Agen and served as the main port for dispatching them to markets. It was this variety that was taken to California in the 19th century, where production has now become so great that it dominates the market, including those sold in France. Warning: Plums contain large amounts of serotonin. Eating them seventy-two hours before a carcinoid tumor test can create a false-positive result. Carcinoid tumors sometimes arise from tissues of the endocrine or gastrointestinal systems and secrete serotonin, a chemical that causes blood vessels to expand or contract.

Because serotonin is excreted in the urine, these tumors are diagnosed by measuring the serotonin levels in the urine, and eating plums before such a test can indicate tumors when in fact none are present. (Other foods rich in serotonin include avocados , bananas , eggplant , pineapple , tomatoes , and walnuts . These also should be avoided before undergoing such a test.) Prunes are dried purple or red plums. Plums are turned into prunes either by leaving them on the tree to dry naturally or by drying them in a low oven. The word has been used since medieval times to mean both the dried and fresh fruit, thus creating confusion when reading ancient writings describing this fruit. The special characteristic of the best prune plums is that of having a very high sugar content which allows them to dry in the sun without fermenting. Today, that process is speeded up by drying machines. These plums must also have a free or easily detached stone, something which is not common among plum varieties. Such plums also have a higher nutritional content than other plums. It takes approximately three pounds of fresh plums to produce one pound of prunes, the loss being entirely from the removal of water, which also concentrates the sugar and nutrients.

During the drying process, prunes turn completely black as the result of enzyme action. Deemed normal in plums, it would be unacceptable in any other fruit. Despite being ‘dried’, prunes remain moist and succulent. The explanation for this is that their initial moisture content is reduced to 23% to ensure that they will keep satisfactorily in storage and then restored to a higher level (29% for pruneaux sacs and up to 35% for demi-sacs) before being shipped to markets. This “rehydration” is necessary if they are to have the attractive softness and sheen consumers have come to expect. Some dried fruits, when they are reconstituted, have the unmistakable resemblance to the original fruit. This is not so with prunes. Just as raisins differ from grapes , so it is with prunes and plums. Ounce for ounce, prunes are higher in fiber than dried beans. Their sugar content is also substantial, with 30% of its weight consisting of glucose, 15% fructose, and 2% sucrose. Prunes are an excellent source of vitamins A and B, iron, and potassium.

Eating prunes with a food high in Vitamin C significantly raises the absorption level of the iron found in prunes as it is able to change the ferric form, found naturally in the fruit, to ferrous form of iron, which the body is better able to absorb. Prunes and prune juice are good sources of potassium; and ounce for ounce, uncooked dried prunes have four times as much potassium as fresh oranges; and the juice has 30% more than fresh orange juice. Often associated with the elderly and their constipation problems, prunes do have a laxative effect that is much easier on the body than any medication, and just as effective. Since prune juice is equally effective, but lacking in fiber, some food chemists suggest that another constituent other than fiber is the real reason they are so effective as a laxative. Prunes contain an unidentified derivative of the organic chemical isatin, which is related to another natural substance called biscodyl, the active ingredient in some over-the-counter laxative preparations. Biscodyl is a contact laxative that induces the secretion of fluid in the bowel and stimulates contractions of the intestines to push waste through the colon more quickly and efficiently.

Although the prunes of d’Agen are thought to be the best, other plums, including the following, also rank high: Perdrigon plum is dried whole to become a kind of prune called ‘brignole’, also named after a town (Brignoles), where it is grown extensively. If the same plum is pitted, dried in the sun, and flattened, it becomes a ‘pistole’. St. Catherine plum is the fruit used for producing the famous pruneaux de Tours, which is also called ‘pruneaux fleuris’ because of a whitish bloom caused by crystallization of sugar. Carlsbad plum is a large prune. Quetsch plum is a small plum from Central Europe, also made into prunes. Governor’s plum, Botoko plum, Ramontochi, Batoko-plum (Flacourtia indica – Family Flacourtiaceae) The Governor’s plum is a plum-shaped fruit of Indian origin, but it also grows in tropical Africa. It is most popular in the West Indies and can be found in such markets in Europe and the US. The small purple fruits are formed in late summer and develop to about the size of marbles.

They are the tropical equivalent of the damsons and like them, the Governor’s plum also has enough pectin to make good jams and jellies. Jamaican plum, hoy/hog plums, golden apple, limbu, mombin This fruit is not a plum, but belongs to the same family as the mango , and grows in the West Indies, Central and South America, South-East Asia, and India. The golden yellow to deep red and purple fruits are small, a little over an inch long. They grow several to a branch, and, like mangoes, have soft skin and contain a large stone. The firm yellow flesh is juicy and fragrantly sweet, more like a pineapple or an apple than a mango. The distinctive flavour has a slightly acidic tang. These fruits are fragile and do not travel well, but they are sometimes available in Indian markets. Jamaican plums can be eaten raw, sweetened and served with other fruits, poached, pickled, or made into jams and jellies. They also are added to such dishes as curries.

Sloe (Prunus spinos – Family Rosaceae) prunelle (French), Schlebe (German), prugnola/pruna selvatica (Italian), endrino (Spanish), abrunbo (Portugese), slaen (Danish), slape (Norweigian), slanbär/slan (Swedish), oratuomi (Finnish), sliwa tarnina (Polish), trnjina/gloginja (Serbo-Croat), porumbar/tîrn (Romanian), trunka (Bulgarian), (agrio) koromelo (Greek), sleedoornpruim (Flemish) Sloe is the tiny plum-like fruit of the blackthorn, a thorny shrub which grows wild throughout Europe and western Asia, and hence the botanical name which means “spiny plum”. It is likely the only plum species native to Britain. Its blue-black skin has a slight bloom, and the flesh is highly astringent; and, therefore, it cannot be eaten raw. Sloes ripen late and can be picked from hedgerows in autumn, but they only become edible after the first frosts.

They can be made into various preserves, but their one claim to fame is being the principle ingredient of an alcoholic beverage. Sloes, preserved in vinegar, are a good imitation of umeboshi, the Japanese salted and dried fruit which is more like an apricot than a plum. Umbeboshi is one of the oldest and most important preserved foods in Japan. Fruit Trees | Order online | Ashridge Trees Plums, Gages & Damsons Plant barerooted trees during winter and spring and container grown the rest of the year. Both are easy to do as can seen in our Planting Video . We carefully select virus free rootstocks and budwood (from our stock plants) before grafting, which is highly skilled work and so we are proud of the quality we produce. All our trees are available as one year old maidens (a maiden tree is the basic "building block" from which all fruit shapes are produced). You can also find most of our varieties as ready pruned two year old trees as well; generally as bushes and/or half-standards but those that are suitable are also grown as cordons.

It's important to prune your trees once they've been planted, if you need help with this we recommend looking at this guide . Rootstocks can cause some confusion so you can see the ones we use below. In simple terms a rootstock controls the eventual size of your tree. A Bramley apple on a vigorous rootstock is a lot bigger than a Bramley on a dwarfing rootstock although the apples are the same. If you are interested you can read more about Rootstocks here. Table of Rootstocks we use. | Surrey Wildlife Trust Surrey Wildlife Trust northeastwildlife.co.uk About Blackthorn is a thorny shrub of hedgerows and woodland edges. It bursts into life in March and April when masses of white flowers appear. During the autumn and winter, deep purple fruits (known as 'sloes') ripen on its branches. Blackthorn is an important species for all kinds of wildlife, but is especially vital for the rare Black Hairstreak butterfly who lays its eggs in Blackthorn hedges. Here, they overwinter and the caterpillars emerge in spring ready to feed on the Blackthorn. How to identify Blackthorn has small, oval leaves and five-petalled white flowers.

It can be distinguished from the similar Wild Plum or Bullace by its smaller fruit and narrower leaves. Where to find it

Question: Bullace is a thorny shrub with fruit similar to small uncultivated?
Answer: Plum