Utility

A large red mid season dessert plum

Origin: Bedfordshire UK, 1903

Pollination: Utility is self-sterile and would require a pollinator to produce a crop. 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. Find out more ...

Utility plum and gage trees produced to order

Closing date for custom graft orders: 14 Jul 2025

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
Maiden	VVA-1Dwarfing	£39.00
Maiden	AdaptabilSemi-vigorous	£39.00
Maiden	BromptonVery vigorous	£39.00

Custom graft trees would be supplied in December 2026. More details of our custom grafting service here.

History and description of Utility

Raised by Laxton Bros at Bedford, UK in 1903. Received RHS Award of Merit in 1917.

Medium large, oblong fruit. Reddish purple skin with a lighter red bloom and yellow dots. Greenish yellow, tender, juicy flesh. Fair flavour for a dessert plum.

Small tree. Good cropping. Very resistant to bacterial canker.

Characteristics of Utility plum and gage trees

Use	Dessert
Colour	Red
Flavour	Sweet
Fruit size	Large
Picking time
Season of use	E Aug
Tree vigour	Small
Tree habit
Fruit-bearing
Cropping	Good
Disease resistance	Bacterial Canker - Resistant
Pollination date	17
Pollination group	B
Self-fertility	Self-sterile
Pollinators	Pollination partners
Parentage	Jefferson

Utility

Utility plum and gage trees produced to order

History and description of Utility

Characteristics of Utility plum and gage trees

Customer services

The nursery

How to contact us