Mrs Trellis Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 We thought the fruit on our trees were mirabelles but apparently those are yellow. Ours are dark purple cherry sized plums (not damsons) so what are they called - apart from mini-plums? They make great jam and crumbles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 distressed plums? surely they are damsons which can be spherical though I don't thing there are many damsels in France?http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yonner Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 The markets round here sell mirabelles of several shades, yellowthrough pink to cherry red, so I wouldn’t rule it out because they are notyellow. However, we have small plums on our trees – bluey-purple, 4 cm top tobottom, 3 cm across, obvious “plumy” flesh, but paler and larger than thedamsons I’m used to in the UK, and referred to as “prunes” by the locals. Couldthey be what you have? Good aren’t they!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tancrède Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 These might be some form of bullace (béloce). In their wild format they have the colour and finish of a sloe, are generally spherical in shape and almost precisely the size of a mirabelle - but there are various cultivars.Unlike sloes they are not at all bitter, but quite sharp and perfectly delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 Are they damassines and are they edible? I didn't think that damassines were, but, I know next to nothing of growing stuff, so may have misremembered that bit[Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Trellis Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 I asked two French friends today and they decided just prunettes. Very edible and a bit more acidic than plums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Prunettes? I really have never heard of them, has anyone else? It sounds like a bit of a cop out, just saying that they are little plums... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter@pons Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Could they possibly be damsons in distress? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judie Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 Well, strangely enough, for the first ever time here in the UK, I've discovered two or three large and very old trees, on my walk to the doctor's surgery, that have similar fruit. Just like bog standard plums in taste but perfectly spherical and tiny. Someone I spoke to said they were called cherry plums, but I've never heard that before. Are they just due to this year's particular weather? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbie Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 This thread brought back childhood memories of going with my mother to pick cherry plums. As she was a college trained gardner I am sure that is the correct name and that they are a separate species/variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 they're cherry plums, same size as a mirabelle, often start out yellow/orange then mature to a rich purple (if you haven't eaten them by then). Around here is the plum capital of France (Agen) and there's plenty of the larger-fruited trees but these cherry plums are also all over the place and delicious too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissie Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We have loads of these in the garden and I just call them wild plums. I can eat them by the bucketload. They also make delicious tangy jelly to serve with meats such as lamb or duck. Sadly our mirabelle tree didn't survive the harsh winter.Chrissie (81) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 So which are they Le Myrobalan ou Prunier-cerisehttp://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prunus_cerasifera http://goo.gl/Jj5iOor damassines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judie Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 The ones down the road are definitely Prunus cerasifera, much too light and sweet for damsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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