Early Favourite

A small early purple dual purpose plum with good flavour and cropping

Origin: Hertfordshire UK, 1820

Pollination: Early Favourite is partially self-fertile and would produce some crop without a pollinator but would benefit considerably from a pollinator.Find pollination partners >

British-grown All our bare-root trees are personally hand-grafted by our Nursery Manager and grown on at our nursery in Kent. We have Defra and Plant Healthy certification. More ...

Early Favourite plum and gage trees produced to order

Closing date for custom graft orders: 14 Jul 2026

We do not stock this variety, but we can produce custom-graft trees for you. Trees can be grafted on any of the following rootstocks:

Form	Rootstock	Price	Quantity
Maiden	VVA-1Dwarfing	£39.00
Maiden	AdaptabilSemi-vigorous	£39.00

Custom graft trees would be supplied in December 2027. More details of our custom grafting service here.

History and description of Early Favourite

Raised from an open pollinated Precoce de Tours by Thomas Rivers, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, UK in 1820 and introduced c 1834.

Small, round-oval fruit. Blue-black skin with bloom. Tender, juicy, green flesh. Sweet with good flavour. Can be used as both a dessert and culinary plum.

Vigorous tree which crops well.

Characteristics of Early Favourite plum and gage trees

Use	Dual Cul & Des
Colour	Blue
Flavour	Sweet
Fruit size	Small
Picking time
Season of use	L July
Tree vigour	Vigorous
Tree habit
Fruit-bearing
Cropping	Good
Pollination date	21
Pollination group	C
Self-fertility	Partially self-fertile
Incompatibility group	0
Pollinators	Pollination partners
Progeny	Opal