Early Prolific plum
Widely known as River's Early Prolific or Early Rivers after the Hertfordshire nusery where it was raised, as the name suggests, early and prolific!
An attractive English plum, sometimes known as Early Rivers, or, mistakenly, as a "river plum". Rivers' Early Prolific is, as the name suggests, an early and heavy-cropping plum. Rated by the Victorian fruit enthusiast Hogg as "a great bearer, and very hardy, rarely ever missing a crop".
It is dual-purpose, but arguably better for culinary purposes. (For dessert purposes, Opal is probably better).
Rivers' Early Prolific is easy to grow and crops reliably.
Summary
- Species: Prunus domestica
- Origin: Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1820
- Developed by: Rivers of Sawbridgeworth
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 125400
Identification
- Fruit colour: Purple
- Flesh colour: Green/Yellow
- Fruit size: Small
- Fruit shape: Oval / round
- Stone clinging?: Free stone
Using
- Good for eating fresh
- Good for cooking
- Flavour quality: Good
- Flavour style: Sweeter
- Ripening period: Early-Mid season
- Use / keeping: 1-3 days
Growing
- Cropping: Heavy
- Flowering period: Mid season
- Flowering group: 2
- Fertility: Self-fertile
- Vigour: Average growth
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- General disease resistance: Average
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates
- Suitable for N. England?: Yes
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 Early Prolific 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
- Colin Bowen in
- Dave Hoare in HAREFIELD, MIDDLESEX
- Gillian Smith in Northallerton, Yorkshire
- Richard Borrie in YORK, YORKSHIRE
Latest Spring blossom records for this variety
2012 season
- 28th March 2012 - tree owned by Richard in YORK, United Kingdom
- 3rd March 2012 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
2011 season
- May 2011 - tree owned by Gillian in Northallerton, United Kingdom
- 23rd April 2011 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
- 5th April 2011 - tree owned by Richard in YORK, United Kingdom
2010 season
- 17th April 2010 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
2009 season
- April 2009 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.
Latest harvest records for this variety
2012 season
2011 season
- 1st week July 2011 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
- July 2011 - tree owned by Gillian in Northallerton, United Kingdom
2010 season
- 4th week June 2010 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
2009 season
- 4th week June 2009 - tree owned by Dave in HAREFIELD, United Kingdom
Mature heights for Early Prolific trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Early Prolific 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.
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