Damson or plum?

[binley100]

How can I tell the difference between damsons and plums(daft question I know) it's just that theres some trees in our old plots and the fruit looks pretty small but is turning purple. My purple plum at home hasn't started to change colour yet .....and when are damsons meant to be ready please ?

[zazen999]

Usually late august but the damsons at work and on 2 trees I spotted tonight near the lottie have turned....just a few weeks until they are actually ready though.

[binley100]

Zaz you'll just have to come foraging with me ......it'll be easier than taking a book

[zazen999]

I know of some damsons near you actually......

And anyway, I have a book on fruit that you might want a read of...we'll have to do coffee in the next couple of weeks and I'll try and get more low down on fruit trees round your way from Ed.

[binley100]

Sounds good to me .

[Flummery]

There is more than one variety of damson. Mine are ready in September but my daughter has a variety which is a good couple of weeks later. You really need to do the squeeze test. They are quite sour anyway and even more so when picked under-ripe.

[Glutton4...]

I didn't realise there were so many different types of edible Plum. Growing wild around here we have, Sloes, obviously, then there are small green/yellow ones (Bullace), small dark purple ones (the size of a grape), larger dark purple ones (Damson?) slightly larger yellowy ones, and pinky ones too. Most of them don't have a lot of flavour, but the pinky ones are sweeter. I'll have to get some pics for identification purposes.

[Flummery]

Golden and pink will be mirabelle and cherry plum. All fabulously free too!

[Crisiwisi]

I've looked at this thread because I've picked bucketfuls of windfalls from an overhanging huge tree in a neighbour's garden but I've no idea whether they are plums or damsons. They are purple skinned, yellow flesh, just about over now. I would love to know one defines the difference between plums and damsons. It doesn't matter hugely to me, except as a matter of semantics, and I am happy to eat/cook/freeze/jam 'em regardless. However friends, to whom I try to off-load some, seem to care! Does the tree leaf or bark differentiate them? Or just the fruit colour, size, flavour, time??

[Flummery]

Damsons are oval and small. Try Google Images. Plums, even the black ones which are similar in colour, are twice the size. If you can eat them raw they are plums - damsons are tart in the extreme!

[zazen999]

Not all Damsons are tart - the damsons we have here at Ryton are sweet and luscious when properly ripe.

[northepaul]

There were damsons at the farmers market nearby two weeks ago, and I have just collected the fruit from my potted damson as they were blowing off!!

[Flummery]

Not all Damsons are tart - the damsons we have here at Ryton are sweet and luscious when properly ripe.

I must have a very sweet tooth then!

[BUFFS]

damsons always keep their taste up here,but on a wet summer like this the plums can be very lacking in taste,watery, so the really ripe damsons taste fine,my one time old neighbour grew them and when asked when to pick he said that when he thought they were ripe he left them at least another week,he also made wine from his huge tree of damsons,tasted great but about 80% proof before he started using it.....two small glasses and you slept like a lamb....