Plum 'Mallard'

'Mallard' is an excellent, vintage UK plum variety that was once widely grown commercially but is now a treasure for the home orchard. It produces large, oval fruits with a beautiful purple-red skin and juicy, yellow flesh. The flavor is sweet and rich, making it an ideal dessert plum for eating straight from the tree in early August. The tree is moderately vigorous and generally very productive. It produces a profuse display of white blossoms in the spring. While it is partially self-fertile, it will crop much more reliably if planted near another plum variety. It is well-suited to the UK climate, showing good hardiness (H6). Like most stone fruits, 'Mallard' prefers a sheltered, sunny position to ensure the fruit ripens correctly and to avoid damage to the blossoms. It requires fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Fertile, well-drained, moisture-retentive soil.

Hardiness: H6 — down to −20°C.

Flowering: Apr.