Merryweather Damson Trees

• Variety: Merryweather, the large-fruited Damson
• Latin name: Prunus insititia 'Merryweather Damson'
• Use: Cooking, jam and gin. Good fresh when fully ripe
• Sold as: Bareroot maiden, bush and half-standard
• Rootstock: St Julien A
• Mature size: Kept at 3 to 4m. 4.5 to 5m if left unpruned
• Pollination: Group C. Self-fertile
• Picking: Late summer, through September
• Fruit: Large for a Damson, blue-black
• Best soil and site: Moist but well-drained soil in full sun, with shelter
• Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• RHS Award of Garden Merit: Yes (2022)
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Merryweather is a self-fertile Damson with large, blue-black fruit for jam, gin and the pan, good to eat fresh once fully ripe. On St Julien A you can keep it at 3 to 4 metres, and it holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Merryweather Damson Trees

Merryweather is a heavy cropping tree that yields the largest blue, plum-sized damsons.

They can be eaten raw or cooked and are particularly good for jams, pickles and, of course, damson gin and brandy. Merryweather is self-fertile and an excellent pollinator. The crops ripen through September depending on location and weather. Of all the damsons, this is probably the easiest/most reliable and is the variety we would recommend if you are just starting out on your damson growing career.

All damsons like a sunny spot. They should be planted in well drained soil that contains plenty of organic matter, and they respond really well if you use Rootgrow when planting them. They'll need simple pruning over the year, just make sure never to do this when the tree is dormant. Any fruit with the word Prunus in its Latin name should be pruned in late spring or in the summer.

We think this is the easiest damson to use if you are making jam because the fruit are larger than most and come away from the flesh reasonable easily.

Browse our range of plum & damson trees or the full variety of fruit trees.

Planting Companions

Merryweather needs no partner. It flowers in group C, the same group as Victoria, so the two suit a small mixed orchard. Farleigh Damson is the other Damson here with the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Lavender nearby brings more pollinating insects in a cold spring. Keep a circle of bare soil or mulch a metre wide round the tree for its first three years.

Why Buy Your Damson Tree from Ashridge?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025. Your Merryweather is on St Julien A, and maidens are pre-pruned before despatch for the form you choose. Bareroot trees are lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Merryweather need a pollination partner?

No. It is self-fertile, so one tree on its own will crop. It flowers in group C.

How big does the tree grow?

On St Julien A, you can keep it at 3 to 4 metres with summer pruning, and it reaches 4.5 to 5 metres if left alone. All our Damsons and Plums are on St Julien A.

When should you prune a Damson?

In summer, never in winter. Stone fruit takes in silver leaf through winter cuts, so do your pruning while the tree is in leaf.

Can you eat Merryweather Damsons raw?

Yes, when they are fully ripe in late summer. Most people cook them all the same, and the large fruit makes the stoning easier.

What soil does it need?

Moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Keep a weed-free circle of at least 60cm round the trunk, thin the fruit if the crop is very heavy, and water in dry periods.

Can you train it as a fan?

Yes. Buy a maiden and tell us the form you want: we pre-prune it before despatch. A fan needs regular summer pruning, and a bush needs much less.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot only, from November to April, while the trees are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your tree is lifted and sent once the season opens.