Rivers' Early Prolific
Prunus domestica An attractive English plum, sometimes known as Early Rivers, or, mistakenly, as a "river plum". Rivers' Early Prolific is, as the name suggests, an early and heavy-cropping plum. Rated by the Victorian fruit enthusiast Hogg as "a great bearer, and very hardy, rarely ever missing a crop".
It is dual-purpose, but arguably better for culinary purposes. (For dessert purposes, Opal is probably better).
Rivers' Early Prolific is easy to grow and crops reliably.
Rivers' Early Prolific plum trees for sale
RF11-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
RF22-year bare-root
tree
on St. Julien rootstock£47.50
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Will become a large vase-shaped fruit tree, no staking required once established.
Available next season
RF32-year half-standard bare-root
tree
on St. Julien rootstock£51.00
Mature height: 3m-5m after 10 years
Can be trained on as a large free-standing half-standard tree.
Available next season
Growing and Training
Rivers' Early Prolific is unusual for a plum tree in that it grows with a slightly "pendulous" habit - somewhat reminscent of an upright weeping willow. The trunk will eventually reach the normal proportions but the branches and twigs always stay disproportionately thin.
Cropping potential is often greater than the branches can bear, so thinning of the fruit and/or branch supports may be necessary.
Like some of its offspring (e.g. Czar) Rivers' Early Prolific can also tolerate shade.
Somewhat counter-intuitively, whilst Rivers's Early Prolific crops heavily, it is not a vigorous tree, and tends to be small or average size.
Recommended pollinators for Rivers' Early Prolific plum trees
Rivers' Early Prolific is self-fertile, so you do not need another variety to pollinate it to produce fruit.
However you are likely to get a better crop if you plant any of the following pollinator varieties nearby.
If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us.
More pollinators >
AvalonAvalon is a large mid-season red/purple plum, similar to Victoria, with a very good flavour.
Denniston's SuperbDenniston's Superb is a gage-like green plum, raised in New York in the 19th century.
HermanHerman is one of the best quality early-season plum varieties, blue/purple with yellow flesh.
Marjorie's SeedlingMarjorie's Seedling is an easy to grow, late-season, heavy cropping purple/black plum.
OpalOpal is an early plum variety with a good flavour, self-fertile and very easy to grow.
VictoriaVictoria is the definitive English plum, attractive fruit, good for eating, outstanding flavour for cooking.
History
Rivers' Early Prolific was raised by the famous Thomas Rivers nursery in Hertfordshire, UK, in the 1830s. It was developed from an early-season French plum variety called Precoce de Tours.
It was grown commercially in the UK for a period, and has also been used to breed a number of other popular plum varieties, including Czar.
Rivers' Early Prolific characteristics
- Gardening skillBeginner
- Fruit persistenceNormal ripening
- Self-fertile?Self-fertile
- Pollinating othersAverage
- Pick seasonEarly
- Picking periodmid-July
- Keeping1-3 days
- Food usesEating freshCulinary
- Country of originUnited Kingdom
- Period of origin1800 - 1849
- Fruit colourBlue - dark
You might also like these varieties
CzarCzar is a traditional culinary plum, one of the easiest plums trees, will even fruit on north-facing walls.
Marjorie's SeedlingMarjorie's Seedling is an easy to grow, late-season, heavy cropping purple/black plum.
OpalOpal is an early plum variety with a good flavour, self-fertile and very easy to grow.
VictoriaVictoria is the definitive English plum, attractive fruit, good for eating, outstanding flavour for cooking.
