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Greengage

Greengage

Greengage

Prunus domestica subsp. italica

fruit-tree☀️ full-sun🪴 loam📏 small🌡️ RHS H5–H6

📋Quick Facts

Height

3.5-5.0m

Spread

3.0-4.5m

Cropping Timeline

First crop
~3 years
Full production
~6 years
PlantedYear 3Year 6

Greengages on St Julien A rootstock begin bearing around year three to four. They have a reputation for being slightly less reliable croppers than common plums, partly because they flower early and are susceptible to frost damage. A sheltered, sunny spot makes a real difference. The flavour of a ripe greengage straight from the tree is extraordinary — honeyed and complex, far superior to anything you will find in a shop. Most varieties benefit from a pollination partner; Cambridge Gage is partially self-fertile.

About

Exceptionally sweet, dense-fleshed plums prized for dessert use.

Top tip
Greengages prefer warm, sheltered sites and benefit from thinning for even ripening.
Also known as: Reneklode, Prunus domestica subsp. italica, Reinier / reine-claude, Śliwa renkloda, Reine-claude, Claudia, Greengage, Cláudia

Pest Resilience

3/5 — Average

Plum moth and silver leaf can affect it; similar pest profile to plums.

Companion Planting

Visual Characteristics

🍳

Culinary

Culinary Use

Fresh eating, jams, tarts, compotes, preserving in syrup, liqueurs

The greengage year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...
What to do now

How to Propagate

🌰Seed
Easy
✂️Cutting
Moderate
🔗Grafting
Advanced

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)
RHS H5–H6

USDA 6 equivalent

Names in Other Languages(7)