Our Variety Assessment

Its strengths, growing requirements and the conditions in which it performs best.

Reine Claude de Bavay is a late, productive gage that is easier to grow than many varieties in this group. Self-fertile, it produces large yellow-green plums in September, with firm, juicy, exceptionally sweet and aromatic flesh. We recommend a warm, sheltered position in northern Europe. Its early blossom can be exposed to damaging spring frosts.

Reine Claude De Bavay

Price range: 26,50 € through 64,50 €

The most widely-grown green gage, Reine Claude de Bavay has the distinctive gage-like flavour.

Choose your tree form

1 year old grafted tree – approx. 1–2 m

Half-standard – 1 to 1.5 m stem

Standard tree – 1.8 m stem and over

Prunus rootstock options

Myrobolan - mature height : 4 à 6m.

St-Julien A, - mature height : 3m.

Wavit, taille adulte 3m, meilleur calibre.

Clear

Tree size guide

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SKU: 15265 Category: Plum trees

Description

If you’ve ever bought green gages from a supermarket in the UK or western Europe, they are almost certainly Reine Claude de Bavay. Don’t worry if you were disappointed with the flavour – you can solve that problem by growing your own!

Whilst a purist might prefer Old Green Gage, Reine Claude de Bavay also has the distinctive gage flavour, but is easier to grow. Cropping is more reliable, but as with all gages, not heavy.

The fruit is medium-sized, and green/yellow when ripe. Rated by Victorian author Hogg as “a first rate dessert plum of exquisite flavor“.