Blaisdon Red

History and description of Blaisdon Red

Blaisdon Red plum is believe to have arisen from seedling rootstock. Discoverd by Mr Dowding of Blaisdon in Gloucestershire, UK and first recorded in 1892. It was once widely grown in Gloucestershire often from suckers on their own roots in traditional grassed orchards for jam making. Such trees are still widespread in parts of Gloucestershire.

Medium-large, long oval to egg-shaped fruit with a neck to the stem. Claret red to purple bloomy skin. Golden yellow flesh with clinging stone. Hard and acid when picked early for jam making. If allowed to fully ripen on the tree in late August until it starts to drop it becomes sweet and tasty and can be eaten as a dessert plum.

Trees are very vigorous, upright, dense, very heavy cropping and very disease resistant. Can be propagated from suckers and was at one time used as rootstock in its native Gloucestershire.

Characteristics of Blaisdon Red plum and gage trees

Use	Culinary
Colour	Purple
Flavour	Acid
Fruit size	Medium
Picking time
Season of use	L Aug
Tree vigour	Vigorous
Tree habit	Upright
Fruit-bearing
Cropping	Heavy
Disease resistance	Bacterial Canker - Resistant Silver Leaf - Resistant
Pollination date	22
Pollination group	D
Self-fertility	Self-fertile
Pollinators	Pollination partners