Greengage
Prunus domestica
Botanical family: Rosaceae
A round plum (Prunus domestica), with melting, very sweet flesh. Its name pays tribute to Claude of France, wife of François I, in the 16th century. It is eaten fresh, in compote or jam, and plums yield an eau-de-vie by distillation. Sources: Tela Botanica, “Prunus domestica L.” (Coste's flora); Plants For A Future, “Prunus domestica”; Wikipédia, “Claude de France (1499-1524)”.
Full sun
Deep, cool, free-draining
Moderate once settled in
Hardy (-20 °C)
Overwinters in your zone
Cross-pollination recommended (two neighbouring varieties)
Better crops with several plants or two varieties
Role in permaculture
A European plum variety (Prunus domestica subsp. italica) with a more modest habit than other plums, perfect in a garden orchard. Early flowering, precious for the first solitary bees (mason bees) coming out of their overwintering. To be placed sheltered from late frosts that destroy the flower.
Good companions
Harbour beneficial insects (insectary plant)
Trap plants (variable effect, need watching)
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
Greengage: July to September.
Available: July, August, September.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « How to Grow Plums » (rhs.org.uk/fruit/plums/grow-your-own)
- Plants For A Future, « Prunus domestica » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Prunus+domestica)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Eaten in large quantity, the plum can have a laxative effect and cause bloating, because of the sorbitol and fibre: caution in people with a sensitive gut. The stone is not eaten, the kernel inside contains cyanogenic compounds. A fragile fruit at full ripeness, to be eaten quickly after picking.
Family behaviour: Rosaceae
In general, Rosaceae are traditionally paired with garlic (reputed antifungal, an in-vitro effect against Venturia inaequalis but little demonstrated in the field), tansy and comfrey. This is the fruit family (strawberry, raspberry, apple, pear, cherry, plum, peach). Tansy is the emblematic companion of the apple tree guild.
Understanding families means learning one rule per family rather than every pairing one by one. Learn more →
Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
French Renaissance horticultural tradition · Loire Valley, 16th century
The story goes that Pierre Belon, the king's naturalist, is said to have brought back from his travels in the East a plum tree that was grafted in the royal orchards of Amboise under François I. The gardeners, charmed by the fruit, paid homage to it in the name of Queen Claude. The attribution is traditional rather than strictly documented, but the name stayed attached to these Loire pomologies and to the memory of a queen who died young, at twenty-four.
Tradition horticole rapportée notamment par les Croqueurs de Pommes et par André Leroy, Dictionnaire de pomologie, 1873.
The precise origin of the cultivar and its attribution to Claude of France belong to a documented tradition rather than to direct historical proof.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: deep, cool, free-draining.
- • Classic companion: Nettle.