Farleigh Damson Tree

Farleigh Damson Tree

Farleigh Damson is a self-fertile, compact, reliably heavy-cropping English damson tree with the RHS Award of Garden Merit, dark blue-black fruit and excellent cooking quality. It remains one of the classic damsons for jam, preserves, pies, desserts, damson gin and wine. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

This is a proper culinary damson, not a large fresh-eating dessert plum. The fruit is small, firm-fleshed and rich-flavoured when cooked. Although the individual damsons are small, Farleigh helps make up for this with very heavy crops. It is best suited to gardeners who want a useful preserving and cooking fruit rather than a soft fruit-bowl plum. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Farleigh is self-fertile and listed as pollination group 3, so one tree can crop on its own. Another plum, gage or damson flowering nearby may still help cropping, but it is not essential. ^[2]

The tree also brings spring value before the fruit arrives. Farleigh has white blossom and Plants for Pollinators status, giving it ornamental and wildlife value as well as a useful late-season crop. ^[1]

Farleigh is hardy, with RHS hardiness rating H6, meaning hardy across the UK and northern Europe, roughly -20°C to -15°C. It is a good practical choice for UK gardens, including colder areas in the north. A sunny, sheltered planting position still gives the best chance of a good crop. ^{[1] [2] [4]} This means don't plant it on the north side of a wall at the bottom of a hill in a frost pocket.

Planting Farleigh Damson Tree

Plant Farleigh Damson in full sun, in fertile, well-drained soil that does not dry out badly while the fruit is forming. A sheltered position is best, especially away from frost pockets and cold exposed winds, because spring frost and poor pollinating weather can reduce the crop even on hardy damsons. ^{[1] [4]}

Water well after planting and keep the tree watered through dry spells while it establishes. Damsons are tougher than many fruit trees, but regular water during flowering, fruit set and fruit swelling helps the tree support a better crop. Avoid waterlogged ground, as damsons need moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. ^[4]

Pruning Farleigh Damson Trees

Established damson trees are best pruned in summer. Avoid autumn and winter pruning where possible, because plums and damsons are more at risk from silver leaf and bacterial canker when pruned in cold, wet dormant conditions. ^{[4] [7] [8]}

Farleigh can crop heavily, so check the tree in good fruiting years. If branches are carrying a very heavy crop, thinning fruit or supporting branches can help prevent damage. The bend in the branch will give you a good idea of the weight it is carrying. If you are unsure, better to thin out too much one year and prevent damage than lose the whole branch.

Pick when the fruit is fully ripe, usually around mid to late September, and use, cook or preserve it soon after picking rather than expecting it to store like apples or pears. ^{[2] [3] [4] [9]}

One practical point: Farleigh has been historically described as thorny or spinescent. That is useful character in an old damson, but it also means you should think carefully before planting it very close to narrow paths, play areas or places where people will brush past the branches. ^[10]

Interesting Information About Farleigh Damson

The National Fruit Collection records Farleigh Damson as a wild seedling found by James Crittenden of Farleigh, Kent, and introduced around 1820. It has also been known as Farleigh Prolific, which suits a variety still valued for heavy crops. ^{[3] [10]}

Old records also connect it with names such as Crittenden’s Damson and Farleigh Prolific. This gives the variety a real historical identity, tied to a place and grower rather than just a modern nursery name. ^{[3] [10]}

The fruit is clingstone, meaning the flesh clings to the stone. That makes it less convenient than a freestone plum for fresh eating, but it is normal for many damsons and not a problem when the fruit is cooked down for jam, preserves, sauces, desserts, gin or wine. ^{[3] [4]}

Farleigh was also valued as a tough, densely branched damson, and the National Fruit Collection records that trees were sometimes used as a windbreak. Most modern buyers will choose Farleigh for fruit rather than hedging, but it helps explain why this damson earned a practical place in old orchards and boundaries. ^{[3] [10]}

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