GreengagePrunus domestica subsp. italica

Greengage

Greengages

1. Prunus domestica var. italica
2. Prunus domestica subsp. rotunda
3. Prunus italica

1. Reine Claude plum
2. Green plum

1. Sugar plum

1. Ringlo (Süddeutschland/Österreich)

1. Reine Claude

1. Reine Claude Verte

1. Greengages
2. Dessert plums

1. Green gage

1. NameEdelpflaume

   Languagede

   Shared with

   1. Prunus domestica

   Clarification

   Often refers generally to Prunus domestica, but specifically to the subspecies italica.

1. greengage
2. plum variety
3. dessert plum
4. fruit tree

1. Tracheophyta
2. Angiospermae
3. Eudicotidae
4. Rosids

Rose family

1. Prunus domestica subsp. domestica
2. Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca
3. Prunus insititia

1. Fruit

The greengage, also known as Reine Claude, is widely considered the finest of all plums. With its honey-sweet, spicy aroma and succulent flesh, it is the ultimate dessert fruit for the home garden.

Named after Queen Claude of France (Reine Claude), this subspecies of plum spread throughout Europe starting in the 16th century. It has long been a symbol of peak culinary quality.

1. Taskpruning

   Label

   Winter pruning

   Prioritymedium

   Months

   1. 1
   2. 2

   Conditionfrost_free

   Estimated effortmedium

   Notes

   Thin out the canopy to improve airflow.

Full sun to sunny, sheltered

Protection from late frosts and strong winds necessary.

Medium loam, rich in humus

Well-drained, no waterlogging

Regularly, especially during fruit formation

Standard tap water or rainwater

Mature compost or organic fruit fertilizer

Main application in March, optional follow-up in June

Plan space for the final tree size; underplanting with herbs is possible.

1. Green manure (legumes)
2. Meadow

1. Soft fruit bushes
2. Vegetable crops (after soil restoration)

Be mindful of soil sickness when replanting stone fruit on the same site.

1. Sucking insects (aphids)
2. Fruit-damaging larvae
3. Ermine moths

1. Fungal pathogens (rust, rot)
2. Viral diseases (Plum pox)

1. Regular thinning cuts for rapid drying.
2. Choose resistant varieties and rootstocks.
3. Consistently remove fallen fruit.

Check leaves for discoloration and fruits for entry holes or atypical gumming.

1. Slugmonilinia-fructigena

   Severityhigh

   Conditions

   1. Wet weather
   2. Damage to the fruit skin

   Affected parts

   1. Fruits
   2. Shoot tips

   Prevention

   1. Remove fruit mummies in winter
   2. Keep canopy open

   Organic control

   1. Dust with rock flour
   2. Spray horsetail tea

1. Symptom

   Sticky, amber-colored sap oozes from the trunk or branches.

   Possible causes

   1. gummosis
   2. stress
   3. bacterial_canker

   First checks

   1. Check site for waterlogging
   2. Inspect bark for mechanical damage

Plum pox virus is often mistaken for harmless nutrient deficiency.

1. Bud swelling
2. Flowering period (April/May)
3. Fruit set
4. Fruit development and coloring
5. Fruit ripeness (August/September)
6. Leaf fall and winter dormancy

Flowering occurs shortly before or simultaneously with leafing out; greengages often bloom very profusely.

White

1. 8
2. 9

10-50 kg per tree

Multiple pickings as fruits ripen sequentially on the tree.

1. Fruit yields to light finger pressure
2. Variety-specific coloring (usually greenish-yellow to yellow)
3. Sweet fragrance of the fruits
4. Easily detaches from the stem

Fruits are very sensitive to bruising; store carefully in shallow crates.

Short-term storage / Fresh consumption

Can be kept in the refrigerator for approx. 3–5 days.

1. Canning/Preserving
2. Jam making
3. Drying
4. Freezing (pitted)
5. Distilling (schnapps)

1. Fresh consumption
2. Compote
3. Fruit tarts

Particularly sweet, spicy aroma with honey notes; the finest dessert plum.

1. Fruit flesh
2. Fruit skin

1. Seeds (pit)
2. Leaves
3. Bark

Pits contain cyanogenic glycosides and should not be consumed.

Excellent for raw consumption; best when fully ripe.

Cold stratification of the pits over winter is necessary.

No varietal purity with seed propagation; grafting is the standard.

1. Rundkrone
2. Hohlkrone
3. Spindel
4. Fächerspaliere

Greengages are often vigorous and prone to canopy crowding; the choice of rootstock significantly determines space requirements.

The early blossoms provide valuable food for bees and bumblebees. Birds often use the dense canopy as a nesting site.

Blossom protection during night frosts.

Main harvest and summer pruning.

Best planting time for new trees.

Trunk whitewashing against frost cracks.