Fruit tree catalog search

Find trees by selecting the criteria you require from the list below, then view the matching results.

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• Stock availability
• Using
• Growing
• Disease resistance
• Climate
• Identification

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  Picking season

  Fruit varieties can be classified by the period when the fruit is ripe and ready to pick.

  The overall picking season varies between species. For Cherries it usually runs from June to August, whereas for Apples it might be from August to November - so a late-picking cherry will probably be ripe at the same time as early-season apples.

  The season is also affected by the local climate - in general southern areas will be several weeks in advance of northern areas.

  If you are choosing several trees of the same species it is useful to take account of the picking-season. For example choose one mid-season variety and one late-season variety. That way you will get a spread of fruit through the season rather than a glut all at once.

  • Very early4
  • Early13
  • Mid23
  • Late89
  • Very late25
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  Uses

  • Eating fresh104
  • Cooking61
  • Traditional cooker10
  • Dual purpose (eat + cook)8
  • Juice58
  • Hard cider51
  • Drying0
  • Edible fruits0
  • Not suitable for humans0
  • Toxic to humans0
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  Cropping

  If outright production is your goal then look for varieties that are naturally heavy-cropping. However don't dismiss light-croppers - they are sometimes easier to grow, and won't require thinning to achieve the best flavors.

  • Heavy64
  • Good73
  • Light11
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  Keeping (of fruit)

  This attribute primarily applies to apples, since of all fruits they tend to have the widest range of period of use. Most plums, cherries and similar species are best used immediately (either eaten fresh or preserved by cooking).

  Within Apples, as a rule of thumb the earlier the picking season of the variety, the shorter the time it will stay fresh.

  The best-keeping Apples are invariably late or very-late season varieties (but by no means all late varieties are also good keepers).

  Whilst most Apples are best when eaten fairly soon after picking, some late-season varieties actually improve in storage.

  • Does not keep0
  • 1-3 days9
  • 1 week14
  • 2-3 weeks39
  • 1-2 months40
  • 3 months or more40
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  Flavor style (apples)

  • Sweet/Sharp24
  • Sharper20
  • Sweeter34
  • Aromatic24
  • Vinous4
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  Cooking result

  • Puree4
  • Textured puree6
  • Keeps shape14
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  Juice style

  • Sweeter12
  • Sharper6
  • Sweet (cider)3
  • Sharp (cider)4
  • Bittersweet (cider)22
  • Bittersharp (cider)7
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  Juice color

  • Clear1
  • Pale yellow1
  • Pale orange1
  • Pale red3
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  Fruit persistence

  Persistence is a quality of most relevance to apple trees - although it can apply to any type of fruit tree.

  In most cases fruit will stay on the tree waiting to be picked, and then gradually start to fall when over-ripe.

  Some varieties will drop their fruit before or as it becomes ripe. This can be useful if the fruit is grown for cooking or juicing as it saves picking.

  A few varieties ripen their fruit over an extended period, allowing several pickings.

  Persistent fruits stay on the tree well into November and December, even January in some cases, providing a useful winter food source for wildlife.

  • Normal ripening83
  • Fruit drops when ripe8
  • Ripens over a period10
  • Persistent8

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  Gardening skill

  Most fruit trees are basically easy to grow, and don't worry if you are not an expert gardener - benevolent neglect often gets the best results.

  The varieties we classify as Easy are those which we think are particularly well-suited to the first-time fruit grower. These varieties are reliable croppers with simple pollination requirements.

  We classify some varieties as Some skill needed. These varieties usually have some unusual growing requirements, or are just fussy in some way. However even a novice fruit-grower should still be successful if care is taken, and our variety pages will explain how to get the best results.

  • Suitable for beginners51
  • Average84
  • Some needed12
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  Self-fertility

  In order to produce fruit all fruit trees must be pollinated. When choosing a fruit tree one of the most important characteristics is therefore whether the variety is self-fertile, partially self-fertile, or self-sterile.

  Our individual variety pages include specific sections on the individual pollination requirements of each variety.

  • Self-fertile12
  • Partially self-fertile14
  • Not self-fertile124
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  Pollination group

  Flowering or pollination groups are used to classify the approximate period in the blossom season when a particular variety is in bloom - and therefore able to be pollinated and provide pollen to other varieties.

  Varieties in Group 1 bloom earliest in the spring, whilst Group 6 are the latest.

  In general a variety will cross-pollinate with others in its own group and those on either side.

  The groups are always relative to the fruit species - plums for example bloom much earlier than apples, but within plums some will be early and some will be late bloomers.

  Flowering groups are a useful guide to pollination compatibility but there are many exceptions - these are covered in our individual variety pages.

  • 13
  • 216
  • 375
  • 441
  • 511
  • 67
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  Pollinating others

  Some varieties naturally produce larger than usual quantities of pollen, and/or produce pollen over a longer period than usual, and/or are genetically compatible with many other varieties. Such varieties are classified as good pollinators.

  In contrast some varieties produce pollen that is not capable of pollinating others, and these are poor pollinators. In apples, the Triploid varieties all fall into this category - their pollen is genetically incompatible with all other apples.

  • Good18
  • Average92
  • Poor29
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  Ploidy

  Ploidy refers to the number of chromosomes. Most apple varieties and other fruit species have 2 pairs - just like humans - and are called Diploids. However several important heirloom apple and pear varieties have 3 sets of chromosomes and are called Triploids.

  When choosing apple or pear trees it is important to know if a variety is a triploid because it will have more complicated pollination requirements. Don't let this put you off triploids though - their extra chromosome often makes them bigger, more productive, and more disease-resistant.

  • Diploid117
  • Triploid22
  • Tetraploid0
  • Other0
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  Vigour

  Although the rootstock is the main influence on the mature height of a variety, the variety itself may be more or less vigorous relative to others.

  Weak varieties are not necessarily less desirable than vigorous ones - they are useful if space is limited, and are a good choice for container-growing.

  Vigorous varieties are possibly more likely to shrug off minor disease problems.

  Contrary to what you might expect there is not necessarily any relationship between vigour and cropping - it is quite common for a weak-growing variety to also be a heavy-cropper.

  • Natural dwarf0
  • Weak growing12
  • Slightly small8
  • Average vigour72
  • Slightly large23
  • Vigorous33
  • Very vigorous2
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  Precocity

  Precocity is the term used to describe how long it will take for a juvenile fruit tree to reach fruit-bearing age. The greatest influence on bearing age is usually the choice of rootstock - more dwarfing rootstocks usually induce precocity.

  However some varieties within a species are naturally more precocious. This usually means they will start fruiting a year or so earlier, and will reach full production a year or so earlier.

  Although precociousness is often a desirable characteristic, there is something to be said for the slow-bearers, as they are sometimes more long-lived.

  • Precocious47
  • Slow to start bearing14
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  Bearing regularity

  Many fruit varieties have a tendency to lapse into biennial bearing as they get older - fruiting only in alternate years. This undesirable characteristic can usually be corrected by heavy thinning of fruitlets in the "on" year.

  • Regular81
  • Biennial tendency45
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  Fruit bearing

  This characteristic is only relevant to Apples and Pears.

  Most Apples and Pears bear their fruit on tiny short stub-like branches called spurs, but a small number bear fruit at the ends of their branches alongside the leaves.

  Unlike spur-bearers, which need maintenance pruning as the tree gets older, tip-bearers generally should not be pruned, as doing so would prevent them fruiting.

  Tip bearers are also not suited to espalier-training or cordon-training, since these forms need pruning. Try fan-training instead.

  Conversely tip-bearers are a good choice if you don't want to do any pruning.

  • Spur-bearer99
  • Free-spurring1
  • Partial tip-bearer15
  • Tip-bearer3
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  Organic culture

  Many gardeners like to grow their fruit organically, or better still, without any pesticides or herbicides at all.

  Most varieties can be grown this way if you wish - but for good production you need to choose disease-resistant varieties, and provide good growing conditions to keep them healthy.

  The best varieties for organic or no-spray gardening are older ones that have a proven track record of disease resistance or modern disease-resistant varieties.

  • Suitable36
  • Not-suitable2

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  General resistance

  All fruit trees can suffer from diseases to some extent, but some varieties are more resilient than others. You can help your tree to resist disease by keeping the ground around the tree clean and weed-free, and watering it when required.

  • Good60
  • Average61
  • Poor14
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  Canker

  Canker is a common fungal / bacterial disease of orchard fruit trees, found in all countries, but more prevalent in wetter climates. Trees will usually recover if the infected branches are spotted early on and completely removed.

  • Very resistant2
  • Some resistance7
  • Some susceptibility16
  • Very susceptible3
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  Cedar apple rust

  'CAR' is a very serious fungal disease of apples in the central and eastern states of North America, but rarely an issue elsewhere. As the name suggests, the disease requires the presence of both cedar and apple trees in proximity - if there are no cedar trees nearby (or you are able to remove them) then you can eliminate the problem.

  • Very resistant13
  • Some resistance19
  • Some susceptibility19
  • Very susceptible4
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  Fireblight

  Fireblight is a bacterial disease, primarily of apples and pears. Affected areas of the tree appear scorched as if by fire.

  The disease originated in the north-eastern United States several hundred years ago, and is now found throughout North America and western Europe. However it is usually only a serious issue in warmer / humid climates. It also tends to occur in cycles, being more virulent some years than others.

  • Very resistant9
  • Some resistance29
  • Some susceptibility31
  • Very susceptible13
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  Mildew

  Mildew is a disease of apples and pears, usually appearing in spring. It stunts the growth of new shoots and leaves, causing fruit production to be reduced. It is more prevalent in drier climates.

  • Very resistant8
  • Some resistance29
  • Some susceptibility19
  • Very susceptible1
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  Scab

  Scab is a widespread fungal disease of apples and pears. It is found in all apple-growing areas of the world, but tends to be more active in wetter climates. It causes unsightly blotches in the skin and flesh of the fruit (and often the leaves) leading to a reduction in fruit quality - although this is perhaps of less concern to the home-grower.

  • Very resistant31
  • Some resistance30
  • Some susceptibility32
  • Very susceptible9
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  Woolly aphid

  • Very resistant0
  • Some resistance2
  • Some susceptibility1
  • Very susceptible0
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  Bacterial canker

  • Very resistant0
  • Some resistance2
  • Some susceptibility0
  • Very susceptible0
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  Bitter pit

  Bitter Pit is a problem mainly affecting Apples trees, and usually only apparent in fruit which is being stored - affected fruit becomes inedible. The cause is thought to be calcium deficiency during the growing season and/or too much nitrogen and/or erratic over-fertilizing.

  • Very resistant1
  • Some resistance1
  • Some susceptibility8
  • Very susceptible0

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  Cold hardiness (USDA)

  Cold-hardiness in fruit trees is not a precise science so err on the side of caution. Areas where temperatures drop gradually towards mid-winter are easier for trees than if temperatures plummet suddenly in early winter. Areas where the ground is covered in snow throughout winter are also less demanding than areas where the ground is bare and directly exposed to very low air temperatures.

  In the colder climate zones it is also important to choose cold-hardy rootstocks. Most of the Malling (M and MM) series rootstocks are not cold-hardy below 15F / -10C, although the M26 and MM111 can tolerate lower temperatures. The Geneva-series rootstocks and especially the Budagovsky-series rootstocks have good cold-hardiness.

  • (3) -40F / -40C7
  • (4) -30F / -34C53
  • (5) -20F / -29C54
  • (6) -10F / -23C13
  • (7) 0F / -18C13
  • (8) 10F / -12C12
  • (9) 20F / -7C10
  • (10) 30F / -1C8
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  Summer average maximum temperatures

  Most temperate fruit varieties perform best in cool or warm climates, and flavors may collapse in areas with average maximum temperatures which are regularly above 86F throughout the summer.

  • Cold (< 20C / 67F)24
  • Cool ( 20C - 24C / 68F - 75F)147
  • Warm (25C - 30C / 76F - 85F)117
  • Hot (>30C / 86F)21
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  Frost resistance of blossom

  • Good resistance7
  • Some resistance2
  • Susceptible4
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  Chill requirement

  Most fruit tree varieties require a period of cool winter temperatures (around freezing) to become dormant, and this is important for their annual growth and fruiting cycle. If you are in an area where freezing winter temperatures are rare then low-chill varieties are sometimes preferable, although this is a subject where research is often contradictory.

  • Low-chill9
  • High-chill1

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  Country of origin

  • Argentina0
  • Australia2
  • Belgium1
  • Canada8
  • China0
  • Czech Republic3
  • Denmark1
  • Estonia0
  • France22
  • Germany6
  • Ireland0
  • Italy0
  • Japan5
  • Kazakhstan1
  • Morocco0
  • Netherlands3
  • New Zealand2
  • Norway0
  • Russia4
  • Poland0
  • Portugal0
  • Serbia0
  • Slovakia0
  • Spain1
  • South Korea0
  • Sweden0
  • Switzerland1
  • Ukraine0
  • United Kingdom36
  • United States54
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  Period of origin

  • 1500 - 15491
  • 1550 - 15992
  • 1600 - 16493
  • 1650 - 16993
  • 1700 - 17494
  • 1750 - 179911
  • 1800 - 184920
  • 1850 - 189925
  • 1900 - 194930
  • 1950 - 199938
  • 20001
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  Fruit color

  • Black0
  • Blue - dark3
  • Bronze0
  • Brown1
  • Crimson14
  • Gold0
  • Green6
  • Green - light8
  • Green / Red7
  • Green / Yellow8
  • Orange1
  • Orange / Red24
  • Orange flush20
  • Pink3
  • Purple1
  • Purple - light1
  • Red12
  • Red - dark5
  • Red / Black0
  • Red / Green1
  • Red striped3
  • Russet12
  • Varigated0
  • Yellow4
  • Yellow / Orange3
  • Yellow / Red1
  • White0
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  Fruit size

  • Very small0
  • Small9
  • Average26
  • Large13
  • Very large1
  • Variable1
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  Awards

  • RHS Award of Garden Merit17
  • RHS Award of Merit1
  • RHS 1st class0
  • Slow Food - Ark of Taste3