Farleigh damson
The heaviest-cropping damson, fruit can be small but has a good flavour.
A classic English damson, still widely grown in gardens in Kent where it originated in the early 19th century. Farleigh is one of the toughest fruit trees, and can be productive even in cold or wet climates which would be unsuitable for most other orchard fruits.
The fruit is a bit smaller than some other damsons (notably Merryweather) but cropping is heavy and consistent. Farleigh also has the typical rich damson flavour and is a versatile culinary fruit.
In Kent Farleigh is sometimes known as Crittenden's damson, after a Mr Crittenden of Farleigh, who discovered it growing wild in the early 19th century. The famous Victorian author Hogg refers to it by this name, and regarded it as "the best of all damsons". Hogg also states that Farleigh is the largest of the damsons, but by modern standards Farleigh is generally considered medium or small, particularly given the popularity of the much larger Merryweather damson which was discovered at the start of the 20th century.
Summary
- Species: Prunus insititia
- Origin: Farleigh, Kent, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1820
- Developed by: Mr Crittenden
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 156500
Identification
- Fruit colour: Blue-black
- Flesh colour: Green/Yellow
- Fruit size: Medium
- Fruit shape: Oval / round
Using
- Good for cooking
- Flavour quality: Good
- Flavour style: Sharper
- Ripening period: Mid-Late season
- Use / keeping: 1-3 days
Growing
- Cropping: Heavy
- Flowering period: Mid-Late season
- Flowering group: 3
- Fertility: Self-fertile
- Vigour: Average growth
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- Shade tolerant
- General disease resistance: Good
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates One of the hardiest of all fruit trees
- Tolerates cold winters
Relationships to other varieties
Offspring of this variety:
Fruit tree register
Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.
The following Farleigh trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree.
You can also view these trees on a map.
United Kingdom
- Andy Davice in OXFORD, OXFORDSHIRE
- Gillian Pottermerrigan in MANCHESTER, Lancashire
- James White in COVENTRY, WEST MIDLANDS
Ireland
- Ute Bohnsack in KILFENORA, CLARE
Mature heights for Farleigh trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Farleigh tree taking into account the vigor of the variety, the rootstock, and soil conditions.
| Rootstock | Soil quality | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | Below average | Average | Above average | Very good | |
| Pixy | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| St.Julien | 7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.8 ft 2.7 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
13.1 ft 4.0 m |
15.8 ft 4.8 m |
| Brompton | 11.2 ft 3.4 m |
14.0 ft 4.3 m |
16.8 ft 5.2 m |
21.0 ft 6.4 m |
25.2 ft 7.7 m |
From an idea by N. Buck - more details.
Plum, gage, damson trees
The following fruit tree nurseries offer Farleigh damson trees for sale:
-
Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (UK)
United Kingdom Supplier's website >>
Where to buy plums to eat
No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.
Rate this variety for flavor