Shropshire Prune Damson

The Shropshire Prune is a small (1cm x 1 cm) drupaceous, clingstone  fruit, oval, and pointed at one end. Uncooked, its skin is dark blue to  indigo, its flesh yellow-green. Cooked, the flesh transforms into a  dazzling deep red. The damson tree bears magnificent white blossom in  April, and the fruits, if the weather is kind, are ready for harvest  from September to October. Even the appearance of the remarkable blossom  is a cause for celebration in local communities. In terms of flavour,  the Shropshire Prune is the essence of ‘plum’, and its versatility means  it is excellent for both sweet dishes, such as jams and jellies, and  savoury dishes, such as chutneys and relishes. The Shropshire Prune is  also used to make a range of distinctive alcoholic drinks such as damson  wine, damson liqueur and damson gin.

The Shropshire Prune trees are a distinctive feature of the local  landscape, marking the changing seasons through the gnarled form of  ancient trees in winter, blossom in spring and deep purple fruits in  autumn. Mixed hedgerows including the Shropshire Prune are typical of  the area and provide valuable food for livestock and birds.

The Shropshire Prune was common in Shropshire, Herefordshire,  Worcestershire and Montgomeryshire in orchards and as a hedgerow tree. A  similar damson is also present in Lake District where it is believed to  have hybridized slightly differently to suit the local microclimate.  Many Shropshire Prune trees were planted in the 19th century to provide  dye. The damson crop was sent, for example, to the Lancashire cotton  mills for khaki uniforms, to Kidderminster for the carpet trade, and to  Ludlow for the glove trade. There is still a strong tradition of  Shropshire Prune products being made domestically in what is a  distinctively rural area, where the weather can be harsh and food  supplies have been laid for the winter.

The Shropshire Prune is no longer used for its dye for military  uniforms, carpets and gloves. This lack of demand means that for  decades, Shropshire Prune trees have not been planted on a large scale.  It also accounts, to a large extent, for why so many of the old orchards  have been neglected or grubbed up. Similarly, there is currently no  significant commercial culinary use of the Shropshire Prune. Supply (or  production) and demand are inextricably linked. If the Shropshire Prune  is not being grown, consumers won’t ask for it; if consumers don’t ask  for it, it won’t be grown.

Culturally, knowledge and usage of the Shropshire Prune in domestic  settings tends to be more common in older people, and there is a danger  that this knowledge will die out unless we can capture it now and build  on it