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.

Pre-orders are open

No payment today. You are reserving your trees before the inventory in early August.

After inventory, we will confirm the available trees and send you a payment link.

Dispatch generally takes place from late November to February, depending on the weather and the progress of lifting the trees.

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“.

Variety characteristics

Variety origin

Belgium, bred around 1841-1843.

Origin

Period of origin

USDA zone

Flowering

Eating / keeping period

Use

Sweetness / acidity

Disease resistance

Self-fertility

Pollinator value

Origin and identity

Parentage

Open-pollinated seedling of Reine-Claude Verte

Synonyms

Bavay

Growth and adaptation

Vigour and habit

Very strong vigour, upright habit, very productive

Quince compatibility

Bavay

Pollination and fertility

Alleles

Very strong vigour, upright habit, very productive

Pollination

Compatible pollinating varieties

For reliable fruit set, plant at least one variety with a compatible flowering period nearby. Flowering period: 3 - mid season.

Badoual Mirabelle View this variety

Victoria View this variety

Reine Claude Doree View this variety

Datil View this variety

Madeleine View this variety

Monsieur Hatif View this variety

Additional variety information for Reine Claude De Bavay is provided in partnership with Orange Pippin.