Purple Gage is a European plum that lives up to its reputation as one of the finest dessert plums for home gardeners. Known also by its French name 'Reine Claude Violette,' this freestone variety produces a heavy August harvest of small-pitted fruits with deep purple skin and incredibly sweet, dense flesh. Hardy from zones 5 through 9 and reaching a mature height of 12 feet, it's an upright, naturally productive tree that rewards patient gardeners with abundant crops. The combination of elegant flavor and genuine ease of cultivation makes it a standout choice if you want to grow premium plums without fuss.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-9
144in H x ?in W
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High
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The sweetness of Purple Gage is unusually concentrated and rich, with a dense texture that makes it exceptional fresh off the tree or in desserts. The small pit means more fruit in every bite, and the freestone character lets the flesh separate cleanly when fully ripe. August harvests arrive in substantial quantities from a tree that asks for straightforward care, making this one of those rare varieties where abundance and quality go hand in hand.
Purple Gage shines as a fresh dessert plum, eaten out of hand at peak ripeness when the flavor reaches its full intensity. The dense, sweet flesh also holds up beautifully in preserves, jams, and traditional plum desserts where you want concentrated flavor. Its freestone character makes it particularly convenient for any preparation where you need the fruit to separate easily from the pit.
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Plant bare-root or container-grown trees in early spring or fall, when the tree is dormant or just breaking dormancy. Space trees at least 12 feet apart to accommodate the mature spread. Ensure the planting hole is dug wide enough for the root system to spread naturally, and backfill with good soil mixed with compost.
Harvest Purple Gage in August when the fruits are fully purple and yield slightly to gentle pressure. The plums should feel soft but not mushy at the stem end. Pick fruit by hand, holding the branch gently with one hand while carefully twisting and lifting the plum with the other. Freestone plums like this one separate easily from the tree when fully ripe, so if a plum doesn't come away with a gentle twist, it needs a few more days. Taste one fruit to confirm peak sweetness before harvesting the full crop.
Prune Purple Gage in late winter or early spring while the tree is still dormant. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches to maintain good air circulation. Thin the canopy selectively to allow sunlight to penetrate the interior of the tree, which improves fruit ripening and reduces disease pressure. The tree's upright growth habit means you may need to spread branches gently when young to encourage a more open framework.
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“Purple Gage, or Reine Claude Violette, carries a lineage rooted in European plum cultivation. The Reine Claude family itself traces back centuries in French horticulture, where these plums were prized by aristocrats and home gardeners alike. This purple sport of the classic green Reine Claude represents generations of selection for superior flavor and ornamental appeal, passed through nurseries and home collections as gardeners recognized and propagated the finest trees they encountered.”