Fruit tree identity question

[veggiechicken]

Several years ago (2013) I bought a fruit tree, in Aldi. It was supposed to be a greengage.
Its flowered for a couple of years but never fruited.
The flowers are similar to plum flowers but smaller. There are no thorns.

Can any greengage growers tell me if I've been had!!

[Small pumpkin]

It looks very like our greengage. It took 15 year before it produce fruit. Last year was only the second time we got fruit off it, but not many!

[veggiechicken]

Was it worth the wait?

[Mark_Riga]

I think trees can be quite contrary. I bought a well grown plum from a garden centre, it flowers well but I've only had about 6 plums off it in as many years. A victoria plum from Aldi gave plums more or less from when planted and has split in half due to weight one year. One main branch is now permanently resting on a fence but it continues to be over-laden every year. Some greengages (well think that's what they are as the fruit is size of damson and green) just appeared and are very prolific. They are right next to the Victoria so it might be the soil there. I would say probably nearer 5 to 7 years old but didn't notice them until they were a few feet high.

edit: a largish damson, not the small ones.

[nickdub]

Hi VC - apart from the fact it is a plum of sorts, I don't know of any way of telling if that sort is a greengage or not until it produces some fruit, which given the flowers in your photos and the reasonably warm weather could well happen later this year.

Cheers, Nick

[Small pumpkin]

Was it worth the wait?

The two I've eaten were very nice

[Guest]

I have no idea about telling a gage from at plum at flower stage, but in regards to lack of fruit do you have a pigeon issue - mine love plum blossom (the lil beggars)

[veggiechicken]

Thanks all. It reminds me of sloe blossom but there are no thorns as far as I can tell.
All the plums here have been slow to fruit, or even flower, but the last 2 years they have been laden. There is a plum near this mystery tree but the flowers on that are just opening so maybe pollination is an issue.?

As for pigeons, NG, they busy on the kale but there are bullfinches on a plum tree at this moment.

[Guest]

Any chance of a pic of the tree? From the pics yours looks a bit twiggy. I have wondered round my trees and the majority of the plums and gages have sturdy bendy branches. Except Aprimira which is supposed to be a mirabelle cross but it gives really nice yellow plums. I did think mirabelle but can't remember if they have thorns will check tomorrow (it is in the paddock and my goose is on high alert and I am wuss). However I don't think you have been diddled what ever it turns out to be.

[bario1]

My greengage is tall and bendy and seems to come out of the ground on two or three different stems. The fruit all forms on these long whippy stems, rather than on sideshoots. It may be that it's never been pruned, it was on my plot when i got it. I didn't even know it was a fruit tree until last year, when it was suddenly covered in these...

[nickdub]

There's more than one sort of greengage, and not all green plums are gages.

[veggiechicken]

More photos. Difficult to see the tree against the background - sorry.

[Guest]

TY for the pics. After all that you can ignore my mirabelle comments it isn't twiggy it is like a normal plum/ gage, so no help what so ever

[veggiechicken]

I sniffed the blossom and it was almondy/marzipanny. The plum tree flowers didn't smell at all like that.
NB I have a cold so they may smell differently to someone who isn't nasally impaired.

[Ocelot]

Does look a bit like a blackthorn (wood-wise), but doesn't look like it has spikes.