Reine Claude De Juillet' Plum Tree

The Prunus domestica 'Reine Claude de Juillet' is a variety of Plum that is one of the earliest in the "Reine Claude" group. Its flowering occurs in March-April in the form of numerous white flowers that attract bees. They develop into round plums during the summer, with two lobes of green-yellow colour, reaching maturity as early as the beginning of July. Their flesh is both very sweet and fragrant, and these fruits can be consumed fresh, cooked in tarts or made into jams. Very hardy, this small fruit tree is grown in full sun, in well-drained ordinary soil. 

The Plum trees are part of the vast Rosaceae family, to which most of our temperate climate fruit trees belong (Apple trees, Pear trees, Apricot trees, Peach trees, Cherry trees, Quince trees) as well as small fruits (Blackberries, Raspberry bushes, Strawberry plants). The Prunus genus itself is extremely large, with over 300 species, including both fruit-bearing (Almond trees, Peach trees etc.) and ornamental ones, among which are many ornamental trees and shrubs. The Prunus domestica is probably native to Asia Minor (Syria) and would have been introduced to Rome, along with many other species, as a result of Roman conquests. According to some authors, its introduction to Europe is linked to the Crusades, but who really knows?

The 'Reine Claude' form a group within the Plum trees, including multiple varieties such as 'Reine Claude d'Oullins', 'Reine-Claude Bavay', 'Reine Claude Dorée', 'Reine-Claude d'Althan', 'Reine-Claude de Chambourcy', 'Reine-Claude Diaphane', and others. Their name comes from the first wife of François 1, Claude of France. The uniqueness of the Plum 'Reine Claude de Juillet' is its earliness, as it is the first to bear fruit at the beginning of summer. This Plum tree forms a small tree about 4.50 metres (15 feet) high and 4 metres (13 feet) wide, with a fairly spreading habit. 'Reine Claude de Juillet' is perfectly self-fertile and therefore does not require pollination by another Plum tree. In March-April, simple white flowers with 5 petals, which are nectar-producing, appear in clusters. They are sensitive to late frosts and require planting this tree sheltered from cold winds and "frost pockets" (valleys or other exposed areas). Once pollinated, the flowers form drupes during the summer, which are fleshy stone fruits known as plums. These have a fairly round shape, of medium size, and are green-yellow in colour, slightly reddening on the sunny side. They reach maturity very early - early July - and their yellow-green flesh is juicy, very sweet, and fragrant. These fruits can be consumed fresh from harvest and can also be cooked in tarts or made into jams and transformed into eau-de-vie. Plums are refreshing fruits and relatively low in calories, rich in vitamin E.
Hardy to approximately -20 °C, it is an easily cultivated tree, highly resistant to diseases, and not very demanding once well established.

This moderately growing Plum tree will find its place in most gardens, even small ones. To diversify your diet, create a small kitchen garden-orchard by planting strawberry plants, which are also low in calories, rich in vitamin C, and antioxidants. To eat fruits in autumn, try the Kiwi arguta 'Kokuwa', a self-fertile vine that will allow you to taste the kiwai, a small fruit sweeter than the typicalkiwi. And to extend the season until the doorstep of winter, plant a Diospyros kaki 'Sharon' on your land, a very productive small tree with decorative orange fruits that become ripe after the first frosts. Their flesh is very sweet and, like the 'Reine Claude', they can be consumed fresh or used in pastries, compotes, or jams.