Marjorie Seedling is the main late-season commercial European plum sold in UK supermarkets. It is excellent for culinary purposes, and good for eating fresh when fully ripe.
It is attractive to commercial growers because it is vigorous, hardy, disease resistant, and a reliable and heavy cropper. These qualities mean it is also ideal for the garden or small orchard - and by growing your own you can also get a far better flavour than is possible for the commercial grower - the trick is to leave the plums on the tree longer. And if you like fresh plums, there are not many other ones around this late in the season.
The fruit is large, plum-shaped, and purple, becoming blue-black when fully ripe, with a heavy bloom - overall very attractive. The flesh is greenish-yellow, juicy, quite coarse, and noticeably veined. The stone is clinging.
Marjorie's Seedling plum identification images
All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.
USDA identification images for Marjorie's Seedling
The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.
Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Visitor reviews
- 28 Oct 2012 DEVON, United KingdomThis plum has a wonderful flavour. I was very surprised to see it listed as a culinary plum. I eat it as a dessert plum. We planted a tree and it crops very heavily. Good cooked too of course.
- 20 Sep 2011 HERTS, United KingdomMarjorie's Seedling have been in all the supermarkets for the last 2-3 weeks, but I've been disappointed in the flavour, finding it quite bland after Victoria's and other improved varieties. May be it's the early season, or my sample being harvested too early
- 10 Sep 2011 LEICESTERSHIRE, United KingdomTried them for the first time today, as a lady on the market knew my name so she suggested some, as my nane is Marjorie....They are one of the niceist plums I have tasted, very large, so well worth there money
Tree register
United States
- John Wright in Jackson, UNITED STATE
United Kingdom
- Reach Community Orchard in Cambridge,
- Reach Community Orchard in Cambridge,
- Reach Community Orchard in Cambridge,
- Alex in Scourie, SUTHERLAND
- Alex in Scourie, SUTHERLAND
- Andrew Barnes in Hereford, HEREFORDSHIRE
- Angela Bogle in Bakewell, DERBYSHIRE
- Ann Keeling in Somerset
- Anthony Payne in Bath,
- Arthur Thomas in NEATH, NEATH AND PORT TALBOT
- Becki Burgess in Redruth, CORNWALL
- Becki Burgess in Redruth, CORNWALL
- Christine Woolass in Goole, YORKSHIRE
- Claire in LANCASTER, LANCASHIRE
- Clare Ovenden in Bromley, LONDON
- Dave Alston in Belper, DERBYSHIRE
- David Scarle in NOTTINGHAM,
- Geoffrey Brown in Grundisburgh, SUFFOLK
- Graham Hinchliffe in Eastbourne, EAST SUSSEX
- Graham Silcocks in Hatherop, GLOUCESTERSHIRE
- Henryc in Andover, HAMPSHIRE
- Hugh Dorey in Whitley Bay, TYNE AND WEAR
- John p in Heathfield, EAST SUSSEX
- Kathryn Cooper in BROMESWELL, SUFFOLK
- Katy Mcburnie in Nottingham,
- Laurence Streatfield in Hayle, CORNWALL
- M. Salisbury in Preston, LANCS
- Mary Fielding in LEDBURY, HEREFORDSHIRE
- Matt Brown in Chester, CHESHIRE
- Michael Magro in LONDON,
- Mike in Bridge Of Tilt, PERTHSHIRE
- Mr Graeme M Fraser in Penicuik, MIDLOTHIAN
- Nick Griffin in Bollington, CHESHIRE
- Nickkk in Oldham, LANCASHIRE
- Paul in Barnet, HERTFORDSHIRE
- Rhiannon Harrington in Reading, BERKSHIRE
- Richard Borrie in York, YORKSHIRE
- Sean Houlihane in Cambridge, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
- Stella Van Zwanenberg in Durham City, COUNTY DURHAM
- Sue Fawcett in Pocklington, York, YORKSHIRE
- Tony Burch in Blandford Forum, DORSET
- Victoria Birkett in Aberdeen, SCOTLAND
France
- Jacqueline Lawrence in Rodez, AVEYRON
Ireland
- Ute Bohnsack in Kilfenora, CLARE
Spring blossom records for this variety
2025 season
- 5th April 2025 - tree owned by Andrew in Hereford, United Kingdom
2019 season
- March 2019 - tree owned by Tony in Blandford Forum, United Kingdom
2011 season
- 10th April 2011 - tree owned by Richard in York, United Kingdom
Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.
Harvest records for this variety
Origins
- Species: Prunus domestica - European plum
- Originates from: Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1912
Identification
- Country of origin: United Kingdom
- Period of origin: 1900 - 1949
- Fruit colour: Purple
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour: Green
- Popularity: Best sellers
- Annual cycle: Deciduous
Using
- Picking season: Late Late September
- Keeping (of fruit): 1 week
- Flavour quality: Average
- Cropping: Heavy
- Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
- Food uses: Eating fresh
- Food uses: Culinary
- Food uses: Dual purpose
- Picking period: mid-September
- Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
Growing
- Gardening skill: Beginner
- Flowering group: 3
- Pollinating others: Average
- Vigour: Vigorous
- Bearing regularity: Regular
- Organic culture: Suitable
- Self-fertility: Self-fertile
Climate
- Climate suitability: Temperate climates
- Climate suitability: Mild damp climates
- Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
- Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
- Cold hardiness (RHS): H5 (to -15C)
Other qualities
- Disease resistance: Good
- Silverleaf: Very resistant
- Shot-hole / Bacterial canker: Very resistant
- Brown rot: Some resistance
- Plum fruit moth: Some susceptibility
Where to buy trees
The following tree nurseries offer Marjorie's Seedling plum trees for sale:
- Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (UK) United Kingdom
Marjorie's Seedling plum trees
Where to buy fresh fruit
The following orchards grow Marjorie's Seedling:
United Kingdom
England - midlands
- Walsgrove Farm, Worcester
References
- Fruit Expert
Author: Hessayon