By Daveyjones
Cheshire,
United Kingdom 
hi all, i moved into my house about 8 years ago and in the corner of the garden was a small well pruned bush (doh) each year i have pruned it back to keep it tidy, the trunk is 5" around and 2ft high and i kept it to a trimmed height of 4 ft. this year i have been very busy and although i have kept it trimmed only to tidy and it has now grown to aroung 7ft and seems to have fruited, as you have now gathered i am a gardening imbicile, but it looks very much like a plum tree, i have added some pictures the fruit is approx the size of a 50p and when opened the flesh and pip look like a plum, please can i have your views as to what it is and the best way forwards as in its care, i am quite excited at this point as i planted two victoria plums from a well known DIY shop but neither took- thanks in aticipation - Dave
7 Aug, 2010
Answers
A friend of mine has one of those and it is very prolific, and I have just been making jam with them. Its delicious.
7 Aug, 2010
http://www.orangepippinshop.com/product.aspx?productid=10050
7 Aug, 2010
When we were in France, people preserved Mirabelle in brandy. Delicious after about a year.
8 Aug, 2010
thanks very much peeps, very quick response and a great site looks like i will be going in to the jam making business.
thanks
Dave
8 Aug, 2010
also, i am hedgeing my bets on gypsy, as the outer fruits are going very bright red the picture shows the paler internal fruit, a little judicial pruning next year to allow some light in me thinks.
am i correct in thinking that for all intents and purposes it is treated as a plum, pruned in June etc
8 Aug, 2010
Yes, that's correct.
I like the preserving in brandy option better Lol
8 Aug, 2010
It's a cherry plum. Sounds daft as it's neither a cherry or a plum though related to both. They are sometimes called Mirabelle's or Myrobalan and are more common in eastern Europe as fruit trees. Several good clonal varieties are becoming better know over here such as 'Gypsy' (red) and 'Golden Sphere' which this one probably is. The fruit is often used for bottling or making preserves but is sweet enough to eat raw.
7 Aug, 2010