RHS AWARD of GARDEN MERIT Tree Fruits (Excl

RHS AWARD OF GARDEN MERIT Tree fruits (excl. apples & pears) 2011

The AGM criteria Location Recommended cultivars

Intended as a practical guide for All fruits are best grown in sheltered sites, APRICOT (Prunus armeniaca) the gardener, the AGM is awarded with protection from spring frosts and cold 98 ‘Moorpark’ (D/C) (H3) only to plants that are: winds. Plums are susceptible to spring ~ good quality fruit. Can crop well frosts and also need warm summers to in southern England in sheltered • excellent for ordinary use in ripen fully. Only early ripening plums can site. Blossoms very early. Prone appropriate conditions be relied upon in the shorter season of to die-back disease. Season: late • available in the trade northern counties. Nectarines, peaches, July–early Aug. ‘Early Moorpark’ • of good constitution apricots and figs can crop satisfactorily often sold under this name • essentially stable in form and in sheltered, warm situations in southern colour England. In northerly areas they will need CHERRY, MORELLO (Prunus cerasus) • reasonably resistant to pests and protection such as a south-facing wall, or to 93 ‘Morello’ (C) (H4) diseases be grown under glass or in polytunnels. ~ dark red, acid cherry; excellent for preserves, tarts, etc. Regular, good AGM hardiness ratings Pollination crops; very attractive in blossom; self-fertile. Crops on north-facing Each award includes a hardiness Most tree fruits need to be pollinated by site. Season: late July–early Aug. rating, which is an integral part of another tree of the same kind growing the AGM, and should be included reasonably close by, which flowers at CHERRY, SWEET (Prunus avium) in any citation of the award: approximately the same time. Figures in 03 ‘Colney’ (D) (H4) superscript after the name denote the ~ late, regular cropper. Excellent H1 requires heated glass flowering group: for good pollination, flavour; not self-fertile. Season: H2 requires unheated glass choose cultivars from the same group, late July–early Aug. H3 hardy outside in some regions; though those from adjacent groups will 04 ‘Hertford’ (D) (H4) needs frost-free protection in also serve as pollinators. A number of ~ late/mid season. Large black fruit winter the plums listed are self-fertile or partly with pink-red flesh; excellent H4 hardy throughout British Isles self-fertile and will produce crops without a flavour. Very heavy crops. Some pollinator, but a pollinator is needed for all resistance to bacterial canker. AGM material online other plums. Cherries listed as self-fertile Upright, spreading habit. Not will crop without a pollinator, but otherwise self-fertile For a full list of AGM plants, and cherries need a pollinator. Peach, nectarine 95 ‘Merchant’ (D) (H4) 3 more information about the award, and apricot cultivars listed are self-fertile. ~ early black cherry; well-flavoured. go to: www.rhs.org.uk/AGMplants Regular crops. Pollination: Rootstocks universal donor, but not self-fertile. Cultivation Season: early July All tree fruits are grafted onto rootstocks 93 ‘Stella’ (H4) 4 For more information, go to www. of varying vigour. Choice of rootstock will ~ black cherry; large, rich, high rhs.org.uk/growyourown and look determine the ultimate size of the tree and quality. Heavy, regular crops; under A to Z. hence needs to be borne in mind when self-fertile. Prone to splitting in wet selecting new trees for the garden. Plums weather. Season: late July RHS Trials are available on ‘Pixy’ (semi-dwarfing) and 04 ‘Summer Sun’ (D) (H4) 4 ‘Saint Julien A’ (semi-vigorous) rootstocks; ~ late (July). Produces firm, well- For more information about RHS cherries on ‘Tabel’ (very dwarfing), ‘Gisela flavoured, red to black fruit. Very trials, go to: www.rhs.org.uk/trials 5’ (dwarfing), and ‘Colt’ (semi-vigorous). good crops. Some resistance Peaches, nectarines and apricots are to bacterial canker. Attractive, available on ‘Saint Julien A’ (semi-vigorous) upright, spreading habit; and ‘Pixy’ (semi-dwarfing). Apricots are moderate vigour. Not self-fertile also available on ‘Torimol’ (semi-vigorous).

For more information, please write to: AGM Lists, Science Dept, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB [email protected] • www.rhs.org.uk/AGMplants

DAMSON (Prunus insititia) flavour. Crops in open in southern rich flavour. Good, regular crops. 00 ‘Farleigh Damson’ (C) (H4) 4 England, but best protected. Partly self-fertile. Season: mid to ~ excellent flavour. Regular, heavy Season: mid Aug.–early Sept. late Aug. crops. Blossom shows some 98 ‘Rochester’ (D) (H3) 00 ‘Mallard’ (D) (H4) 1 resistance to frost. Season: late Aug. ~ yellow-fleshed; reasonable flavour ~ medium-sized, red plum; quite 98 ‘Prune Damson’ (C) (H4) 5 and quality. Grows well with some good flavour. Good, regular crops. ~ larger fruits than ‘Farleigh protection; can be grown in open Moderate vigour; not self-fertile. Damson’, but typical damson in south. Season: mid Aug. Season: mid–late Aug. flavour. Regular, good crops. 93 ‘Marjorie’s Seedling’ (C) (H4) 5 Season: late Aug. PLUM (Prunus domestica) ~ late, blue plum. Good for jam. 00 ‘Blue Rock’ (C/D) (H4) 1 Reliable good crops; vigorous, FIG (Ficus carica) ~ quite well-flavoured blue plum. upright habit. Self-fertile. Season: 93 ‘Brown Turkey’ (D) (H3) Regular, good crops; not self- late Sept.–early Oct. ~ fruits regularly in the open in fertile. Neat tree. Season: mid Aug. 95 ‘Opal’ (D) (H4) 3 southern England and in many 95 ‘Blue Tit’ (C/D) (H4) 5 ~ small, purple plum; good flavour. parts of the Midlands and East ~ pleasant flavour; blue plum. Reliable, heavy crops; needs Anglia in a warm position. Regular, good crops. Self-fertile. thinning. Partly self-fertile. For good crop, root restriction Season: mid Aug. Blossom buds very prone to bird advisable. Season: mid Aug.–mid 98 ‘Cambridge Gage’ (D) (H4) 4 damage. Season: early–mid Aug. Sept., depending on site ~ honey, sweet, excellent greengage 93 ‘Oullins Gage’ (D) (H4) 4 quality, but more reliable than ~ large, yellow flushed with pink. Not GRAPE (Vitis) most greengages. Reasonably typical gage quality, but quite rich. 04 ‘Boskoop Glory’ (D) (H4) regular crops in favourable Heavy, regular crops. Partly self- ~ black grape. Good outdoor vine for situations. Partly self-fertile. fertile. Season: mid Aug. the amateur, both dessert and wine; Season: mid Aug. 93 ‘Pershore’ (C) (H4) 3 crops reliably; disease-resistant. 93 ‘Czar’ (C/D) (H4) 3 ~ large, yellow plum. Bottling Moderately good flavour, but better ~ well-flavoured; early blue plum; use favourite. Heavy, regular crops. than many shop-bought grapes. for jam but also moderate eating Self-fertile. Season: mid Aug. Awarded as ‘Gloire de Boskoop’ quality. Heavy, regular crops. Self- 95 ‘Reeves’ (D) (H4) 3 04 ‘New York Muscat’ (D) (H4) fertile. Season: mid Aug. ~ very attractive, yellow-orange to ~ black grape. A good dessert 93 ‘Early Laxton’ (C/D) (H4) 3 pinky red plum; good, rich dessert Muscat with blackcurrant flavour. ~ red, early plum; good for jam and quality. Not self-fertile. Mainly light Disease-resistant. Best when reasonable eating quality. Heavy, crops, occasionally heavy. Needs grown on a warm site or wall regular crops. Not self-fertile. warm site. Season: mid–late Aug. Season: late July–early Aug. 93 ‘Sanctus Hubertus’ (D) (H4) 3 NECTARINE (Prunus persica var. 94 ‘Edwards’ (C/D) (H4) 2 ~ large, blue plum; the largest of the nectarina) ~ handsome, large, exhibition plum; earlies. Good, regular crops. Not 98 ‘Early Rivers’ (D) (H3) light crops; prone to blossom wilt. self-fertile. Season: early Aug. ~ good flavour. Season: mid July Season: late Aug. to early Sept. 95 ‘Valor’ (C/D) (H4) 2 98 ‘Lord Napier’ (D) (H3) 93 ‘Imperial Gage’ (C/D) (H4) 2 ~ blue, medium-sized plum. Good ~ good flavour. Season: early Aug. ~ gage quality but not as rich as quality. Moderately good, regular ‘Cambridge Gage’. Regular crops. crops. Not self-fertile. Season: late PEACH (Prunus persica) Partly self-fertile. Season: mid Aug. Aug. 98 ‘Duke of York’ (D) (H3) 94 ‘Jefferson’ (D) (H4) 1 93 ‘Victoria’ (C/D) (H4) 3 ~ white-fleshed; good quality and ~ yellow flushed with red; rich, gage ~ red plum; reasonable to good flavour. Needs protection to crop quality. Moderate, regular crops. Not eating quality; excellent for and grow well. Season: mid–late July self-fertile. Season: mid to late Aug. bottling, jam and tarts. Heavy, 98 ‘Peregrine’ (D) (H3) 95 ‘Laxton’s Delight’ (D) (H4) 3 regular crops. Self-fertile. Season: ~ white-fleshed; good quality and ~ large, yellow, attractive plum; good mid to late Aug.

H1 requires heated glass H2 requires unheated glass H3 hardy outside in some regions; needs frost-free protection in winter H4 hardy throughout the British Isles * suitable for northerly, colder, higher rainfall areas ‡ triploid (C) culinary (D) dessert Figures to the left of names give the year of the award • Figures in superscript after the name denote the pollination group