Abergwyngregyn Damson (Llanfairfechan)

£35.95£42.95

History & Discovery

A single damson tree grows at the college farm site on the Menai Straits, at Abergwyngregyn near Llanfairfechan. It is perhaps over two hundred years old, yet it is remarkably disease free. It produces an abundance of good sized dark purple fruit, of excellent flavour. The tree itself is quite remarkable (see picture inset opposite); the trunk is hollow and split open down one side (perhaps a lightning strike). Much of the wood is woodwormed and the trunk also has many fist sized holes. On top of the old trunk grows an “s” shaped younger section which regularly bears the blemish free fruit.

Fruit

Excellent eaten raw or made into a deep ruby coloured jam. Presumably self fertile. Pick and use September/October.

Rootstock & Eventual Tree Size

All fruit trees are grafted onto rootstocks. The rootstocks determine eventual tree size.
Bigger trees are more robust & produce more fruit, but take up more space.
Always choose a bigger rootstock if you need extra anchorage or your soil is poor (very wet, dry or rocky). Small trees cannot compete with grass and weeds.

If you want your fruit tree to remain smaller than its eventual tree size, simply prune back in the summer.

(Unsure about summer pruning? Check out our video guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlF_ekXp5PA)

Age Of The Tree

Some of our varieties are available to purchase as older trees. One year old maiden whips are a single trunk that you can then train yourself. Two year old trees are ready trained with a formed crown, but you will need to carry on training! See our video guides for more information on pruning.

Bilingual product label and small “Welsh to the Core!” tie-on label (left) included.