Green Gage

Green Gage was originally named Reine Claude by the French, then was renamed by the British around 1725. This is an ancient Armenian variety, still widely grown due to outstanding flavor. By any name, this is surely one of the world's great fruit varieties. This unique, European cultivar has been in high demand in local and roadside markets for its excellent quality and versatility. Not so long ago, the Green Gage plum was the best known and loved plum in Europe and America. It is now heading for extinction in this country, largely due to trueness-to-name problems that have made the real Green Gage hard to find. It has medium-sized, egg-shaped fruits with yellow-green skin and firm, greenish-yellow flesh and can be used in desserts and preserves or canned. But they're so good, you might not be able to resist eating them right off the tree! Sweet and juicy, the fruit ripens early August in Zone 5. Hardy in Zones 5-9. The tree is productive and self-fertile but is susceptible to brown rot. Hardy to -30 degrees. Green Gage may be too fragile for commerce, but this fact -- and its superlative flavor -- make it an indispensable addition to any home orchard.