Dessert plums and gages

Early Favourite

1834

Late July

Raised at Rivers' Nursery in Sawbridgeworth. A medium sized almost black plum with russet dots and a thin chalky bloom. Sweet and juicy flesh.

Early Transparent Gage

1800s

Early August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery from the variety Transparent Gage. Similar to a Green Gage in appearance. Medium to large in size. Very juicy and sweet.

Mallard

1885

Late August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery of unknown parentage. A medium sized red plum with a thin chalky bloom.

Golden Transparent

1890

Early/mid September

Raised at Rivers' Nursery from the variety Transparent Gage. A medium to large yellow-skinned plum with a gage-like flavour. Self-fertile.

Blue Prolific

1800s

Mid August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage not known. A small oval plum with coarse, juicy flesh.

Late Transparent Gage

1882

Late Sept/early October

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage not known. A medium-sized smooth skinned yellow gage. With golden yellow flesh.

 Dual purpose plums and gages

Blue Rock

1880s

Late August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Of unknown parentage. A medium sized roundish blue-black coloured plum with a bloom.

President

1895

Mid/late September

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Of unknown parentage. A large, blue-black plum with a chalky bloom.

Primate

1889

Mid/late September

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage unknown. A large, round, red plum.

 Culinary plums and gages

Early Rivers

1834

Late July

Raised at Rivers' Nursery from the variety Precoce de Tours. A medium sized deep purple coloured plum with a bloom and golden yellow flesh. Heavy cropping.

Stint

1875

Late July /early August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage unknown. A small round, red early plum with a chalky bloom.

Damson Early Rivers

1871

Early August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery from a seed of St. Etienne. A small, round, blue-black plum with a chalky bloom. Resembles a bullace.

Czar

1874

Early August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery by crossing the varieties Prince Englebert and Early Prolific. Named after the Emperor of Russia, who visited England in 1874. A large, purplish red plum with a chalky bloom.

Bittern

1872

Early/mid August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage unknown. A medium sized, long, oval shaped blue-black plum with a chalky bloom.

Heron

1875

Early/mid August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage unknown. A large, long, oval shaped purple plum. A reliable cropper.

Curlew

1875

Mid August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. Parentage unknown. A medium to large sized blue-black oval shaped plum.

Swan

1898

Mid August

Raised at Rivers' Nursery of unknown parentage. A medium to large sized red-purple coloured oval shaped plum with a thick chalky bloom.

Late Orange

1888

Early/mid September

Raised at Rivers’ Nursery. Parentage unknown. A large, round plum with coarse flesh.

Monarch

1883

Early/mid September

Raised at Rivers' Nursery from the variety Autumn Compote. A large, roundish blue black plum with a chalky bloom.

Archduke

1881

Mid September

Raised at Rivers' Nursery. One parent is the plum De Montfort. A large blue-black coloured plum with a thin bloom.

Automne Compote

1800

Mid/late Sept

Raised by Rivers' Nursery from the variety Cooper’s Black. A large bright red oval shaped plum with juicy flesh

Grand Duke

1876

Mid/late September

Raised at Rivers' Nursery from the variety Automne Compote. A large, blue-black oval shaped plum with a bloom. Flesh is golden yellow and juicy.

 Dessert cherries

Early Rivers

pre 1869

June-July

Raised by Rivers' Nursery of Sawbridgeworth and introduced in 1872. A large deep maroon skinned cherry withy red flesh. It will crop in June if weather conditions permit.

Bailey’s Early Black

pre 1930

Early July

First recorded in the 1930s, at Bailey’s Farm, Leaverstock Green. Considered an established local variety at the time. A medium sized black skinned and dark red fleshed sweet cherry.

Alba Heart

pre 1900

Mid/late July

A small, round, shiny black skinned cherry also traditionally found growing in neighbouring Buckinghamshire.

Archduke

pre 1750

Mid/late July

Grown at Rivers' Nursery at Sawbridgeworth since 1700s but a cherry of this name was mentioned in the early 1600s by the English botanist John Parkinson. A large almost black fruit with deep red coloured flesh.

Strawberry Heart

pre 1900

Mid/late July

Traditionally grown in the King’s Langley district. Almost completely coloured bright red with some darker red streaks. Can be large in size. It has yellow flesh.

Turkish Black

pre 1900

Mid/late July

The name would suggest that this cherry may have foreign origins. It is a medium sized cherry with shiny almost black skin and very dark, juicy, flesh.

Caroon

1725

Mid/late July

Recorded as being grown around Geddeston in the 1700s, it is a medium sized, roundish, shiny black skinned fruit with dark purple flesh.