Blue Damson Plum Tree

Blue Damson is a rugged, dependable European plum with deep roots in traditional kitchens and cold-climate orchards. Its small, blue-black fruit has a pleasantly tart character and richly colored skin, giving preserves a classic plum flavor that is difficult to duplicate with sweeter dessert varieties. The tree’s late bloom helps it avoid some early spring cold, while its naturally heavy-bearing habit makes it a rewarding choice for gardeners who enjoy putting fruit by.

This is an especially useful culinary plum. Blue Damson fruit develops the concentration and acidity needed for flavorful jams, jellies, sauces, baked desserts and traditional plum cider. The fruit can also be enjoyed fresh by gardeners who appreciate a lively tart plum. Ripening from late August into early September, with timing varying by region and season, it extends the plum harvest into the beginning of fall.

Blue Damson is self-fruitful and can produce a crop when planted on its own. Adding another European plum variety with an overlapping bloom period can increase floral diversity and pollinator activity in the orchard and may support fruit set when conditions are favorable. For a broader range of flavors and uses, consider planting it near Green Gage Plum or French Improved Prune.

Grown on Citation rootstock, Blue Damson develops into a manageable semi-dwarf tree. Plant it in full sun and well-draining soil, then thin developing fruit when the crop is especially heavy to help protect branches and support good fruit quality.

Blue Damson Plum Tree Details

• Fruit: Small, blue-black plums with light-colored flesh
• Flavor and texture: Firm, juicy and distinctly tart
• Best uses: Jams, jellies, sauces, baking, cider and fresh eating
• Harvest: Late August to early September; timing varies by region and season
• USDA zones: 5–9
• Chill hours: Approximately 800
• Bloom period: Late
• Tree size: Semi-dwarf on Citation rootstock
• Pollination: Self-fruitful and productive on its own; another European plum with overlapping bloom may encourage pollinator activity and support fruit set
• Related trees: Green Gage Plum and French Improved Prune
• Something Special: The word “damson” derives from “Damascene,” an old reference to plums associated with Damascus.

Orchard Planning Resources

• Choose the right bare root tree
• Learn how to plant a bare root tree
• Compare tree characteristics, chill hours and pollination needs
• Compare fruit tree rootstocks