The perdrigon, occasionally spelt "perdigon", is an old variety of culinary

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in Prunus subg. Prunus, ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are often called prunes, though in the United States they may be labeled as 'dried plums', especially during the 21st century. Plums are ...

originating in the south of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is sometimes classified as a variety of ''Prunus domestica'' subsp. ''insititia'',Perdrigon
European Prunus Database like the British

damson The damson (), damson plum, or damasceneSamuel Johnson equates "damascene" and "damson" and for "damask plum" simply states "see Plum" (''A Dictionary of the English Language'', 1755, p. 532). Later expanded editions also distinguish between "da ...

and German ''krieche'', though it has significant differences from both. It was once classed as ''Prunus pertigona'' or ''Prunus domestica pertigona''.Chazelles, Laurent-Marie, ''Dictionnaire des jardiniers'', Guillot, 1785, p.135 The tree flowers in late March, bearing in late August or early September.Perdrigon Violet
pommiers.com, accessed 20-09-12 Hogg noted that the perdrigon's blossom was very tender and susceptible to spring frosts, requiring the tree to be grown against a south-east wall.Hogg, R. ''The Fruit Manual'', 1860, p.232 The fruit is small and oval, with relatively rich, sweet green flesh and a purple, heavily bloomed skin that is often too tough for eating with the fruit.Prince, w. ''The pomological manual: or, a treatise on fruits'', 1831, p.66 A red, white and yellow perdrigon are recorded along with the more commonly described violet form (''perdrigon violet''). The perdrigon is a long-established variety: Richard Bradley mentions it in 1726 as "a fine Plum, either raw, or in Sweetmeat", and distinguishes four types.Bradley, R. ''A general treatise of husbandry & gardening'', 1726, p.100 It was particularly associated with the town of

Brignoles Brignoles (; ) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. Alongside Draguignan, it is one of two subprefectures in Var. It was the summer residence of the counts of Provence; their ...

in France, where it is still grown for drying. The flat, golden dried fruits are known as ''pistoles'' from their resemblance to the

pistole Pistole is the French name given to a Spain, Spanish gold coin in use from 1537; it was a doubloon or double Spanish escudo, escudo, the gold unit. The name was also given to the Louis d'Or of Louis XIII of France, and to other European gold c ...

, a historic coin. The fruits are also used to make

fruit preserves Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the meth ...

References

Plum cultigens {{fruit-stub