Opal plum
An early variety with a good flavour, and very easy to grow.
Opal is probably the best-flavoured early plum variety - indeed it is sometimes called a gage-like plum thanks to the excellence of its flavour. It demonstrates (along with Ariel) that crossing a gage with plum can improve the gage-like flavour.
However the flavour depends crucially on developing sugars during the short growing period, and in the UK and northern Europe Opal really benefits from being grown against a south-facing wall or in a sunny aspect. In less favourable situations it will still give good crops but the flavour may be bland.
The fruit is medium-sized, coloured dusky red with a heavy bloom, becoming blue when overripe. The fruit is at its best just before the colour changes to blue. The plums ripen over a period of about 1-2 weeks, so you don't have to deal with a glut. The flesh is straw-yellow and fairly juicy. Opal is a free-stone plum - the stone falls away easily from the flesh. If picked on a warm July day and placed in a fruit bowl Opal also has a wonderful aroma.
Recommended because it is easy to grow in a variety of climates and provides good quality plums early in the season - but to get the full flavour it is essential to thin the crop, and to plant in a sunny aspect.
Summary
- Species: Prunus domestica
- Parentage: Oullins Gage and Early Favourite
- Origin: Sweden
- Introduced: 1925
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 125300
Identification
- Fruit colour: Red / mottled
- Fruit size: Medium
- Fruit shape: Oval
- Stone clinging?: Free stone
- Sub-group: Lombard
Using
- Good for eating fresh
- Flavour quality: Very good ... but only when wall-trained
- Ripening period: Early-Mid season Late July
- Use / keeping: 1-3 days
Growing
- Cropping: Heavy
- Flowering period: Mid season
- Flowering group: 3
- Fertility: Self-fertile
- Vigour: Average growth
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- Attractive fruit
- General disease resistance: Good
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates
- Tolerates cold winters
- Suitable for N. England?: Yes
Other qualities
- RHS Award of Garden Merit 1995
Relationships to other varieties
Parents and other ancestors of this variety:
- Early Prolific (parent)
- Oullins Gage (parent)
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 Opal 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
- Anja Britton in NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
- Barbara Woodbine in HUNTINGDON, CAMBS
- Christine Woolass in GOOLE, YORKSHIRE
- Colin P Dolding in HANLEY CASTLE, WORCESTERSHIRE
- Dan in UXBRIDGE, Middlesex
- Jacqueline Lawrence in MILFORD HAVEN, Pembrokeshire
- Marian Fitch in STREET, SOMERSET
- Mark Davies in SADDLEWORTH, YORKSHIRE
- Maureen Wright in EYEMOUTH, BERWICKSHIRE
- Mrs Stephanie Bond in STOURTON CAUNDLE, DORSET
- Mrs Tricia Pursey in REDDITCH, WORCESTERSHIRE
- Nickkk in OLDHAM, LANCASHIRE
- Peter Radmore in PORT TALBOT, SOUTH WALES UK
- Philip Wray in ANDOVER, HAMPSHIRE
- Ramesh in LONDON,
- Richard Borrie in YORK, Yorkshire
- Robert Barnes in SOUTH NORWOOD, LONDON
- Roy in COVENTRY, WARWICKSHIRE
- Sally in DERBYSHIRE
- Victoria Birkett in ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND
- Warren in GLASGOW, STRATHCLYDE
Denmark
- Hanne Olsen in COPENHAGEN,
Ireland
- Simon Clarke in DULEEK, COUNTY MEATH
- Ute Bohnsack in KILFENORA, CLARE
Netherlands
- Bas Cretskens in Stevensweert, Limburg
- Karel in alem,
Poland
- Richard in KRAKOW,
Latest Spring blossom records for this variety
2012 season
- 7th April 2012 - tree owned by Karel in alem, Netherlands
- 30th March 2012 - tree owned by Roy in COVENTRY, United Kingdom
- 28th March 2012 - tree owned by Mrs Tri in REDDITCH, United Kingdom
- 28th March 2012 - tree owned by Simon in DULEEK, Ireland
2011 season
- May 2011 - tree owned by Hanne in COPENHAGEN, Denmark
- 9th April 2011 - tree owned by Dan in UXBRIDGE, United Kingdom
- 5th April 2011 - tree owned by Karel in alem, Netherlands
- 4th April 2011 - tree owned by Richard in YORK, United Kingdom
- 26th March 2011 - tree owned by Roy in COVENTRY, United Kingdom
2010 season
- 24th April 2010 - tree owned by Richard in YORK, United Kingdom
Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.
Latest harvest records for this variety
2012 season
2011 season
- 3rd week August 2011 - tree owned by Roy in COVENTRY, United Kingdom
- 1st week August 2011 - tree owned by Hanne in COPENHAGEN, Denmark
- 1st week August 2011 - tree owned by Ute in KILFENORA, Ireland
- 3rd week July 2011 - tree owned by Richard in YORK, United Kingdom
- 2nd week July 2011 - tree owned by Karel in alem, Netherlands
2010 season
Mature heights for Opal trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Opal 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 Opal plum 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