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Simple bare root fruit trees and ornamental trees

Reeves

Prunus domestica
Reeves plums
Reeves is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators

Reeves is a large-fruited dual-purpose red plum, filling a similar niche to Victoria. However whilst Victoria is hard to beat for use in the kitchen, Reeves has a far better flavour for eating fresh. Indeed it is one of the best-flavoured of all plums and can even hold its own in tasting tests with most gages.

It is grown commercially on a small scale in England, Scandanavia, and eastern Europe, and is generally well-regarded by growers and apparently not affected by plum pox virus. The plums keep fresh much longer after picking than most other varieties.

Reeves plum trees for sale

  • 1-year bare-root tree on St. Julien rootstock£38.75
    Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
    Can be trained on as a large bush-trained tree or a half-standard tree, no staking required once estalished. Also suitable as a large fan-trained tree.
    Available next season

Growing and Training

Reeves is not as heavy-cropping as some plums. This is actually a good thing, as with plums lighter crops are often associated with better flavour.


Recommended pollinators for Reeves plum trees

Reeves is not self-fertile, so you will need another different but compatible variety planted nearby in order to produce fruit. The following varieties are good pollinators for Reeves. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us. More pollinators >

  • Pollinator Victoria
    Victoria
    Victoria is the definitive English plum, attractive fruit, good for eating, outstanding flavour for cooking.
  • Pollinator Opal
    Opal
    Opal is an early plum variety with a good flavour, self-fertile and very easy to grow.
  • Pollinator Marjorie's Seedling
    Marjorie's Seedling
    Marjorie's Seedling is an easy to grow, late-season, heavy cropping purple/black plum.
  • Pollinator Cambridge Gage
    Cambridge Gage
    Cambridge Gage is a reliable green gage, similar to Old Green Gage, with an excellent flavour.
  • Pollinator Farleigh
    Farleigh
    One of the hardiest damsons, and crops heavily. Farleigh has the distinctive damson flavour.
  • Pollinator Jubilee
    Jubilee
    Jubilee is a new heavy-cropping dessert plum variety, similar to Victoria but larger and more reliable.
  • Pollinator Czar
    Czar
    Czar is a traditional culinary plum, one of the easiest plums trees, will even fruit on north-facing walls.

History

Reeves was found by Mr A. Reeves of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, in the 1940s. Chilliwack is near Vancouver - some distance from the main plum-growing regions of British Columbia. Its ancestry is unknown but it is possibly a seedling of Reine Claude Berger (sometimes known as Peach plum in English).


Reeves characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
  • Self-fertile?Not self-fertile
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Pick seasonMid
  • Picking monthAugust
  • Picking periodmid-August
  • Keeping1 week
  • Food usesEating freshCulinaryDual purpose
  • PruningDo not prune
  • Country of originCanada
  • Period of origin1900 - 1949
  • Fruit colourRed - dark

You might also like these varieties

  • See also Blaisdon Red
    Blaisdon Red
    Blaisdon Red is one of the best plum varieties for making plum jam.
  • See also Marjorie's Seedling
    Marjorie's Seedling
    Marjorie's Seedling is an easy to grow, late-season, heavy cropping purple/black plum.
  • See also Opal
    Opal
    Opal is an early plum variety with a good flavour, self-fertile and very easy to grow.
  • See also Victoria
    Victoria
    Victoria is the definitive English plum, attractive fruit, good for eating, outstanding flavour for cooking.

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