Spring 2025 - end of seasonWe are now closed for the 2025 planting season.
Over 250 specialist fruit tree varieties for your orchard or back-yard

Frequin Rouge cider apple trees

Frequin Rouge apples
Frequin Rouge is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Pollination group: 4
  • Uses: Hard cider

Frequin Rouge is a traditional and important French cider variety. It produces a strong bittersharp juice.

It originates from the extreme west of France, in the region of Bretagne, but is used in all the French cider-growing areas. It is a required variety for several "appellations", including Cornouaille in Bretagne and Pays d'Auge in Normandie.

Frequin Rouge cider apple trees for sale

We are now closed for the 2025 planting season.

  • Semi-dwarf 1-year bare-root tree $39.95
    Mature height: 8ft-12ft after 10 years
    G.214 rootstock
    Out of stock

How to grow

Like many French cider varieties Frequin Rouge is not particularly easy to grow. It is can be susceptible to fireblight, canker and scab in temperate climates. It also takes a few years for production to start, and it will readily lapse into biennial bearing - but if carefully managed it will crop heavily.

In traditional French orchards production on mature trees will be in the range 30-35 tonnes per hectare, which is above the average for French cider varieties.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

Frequin Rouge characteristics

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Pollination group4
  • Pollinating othersAverage
  • Picking seasonMid
  • UsesHard cider
  • Keeping (of fruit)2-3 weeks
  • General resistancePoor
  • FireblightSome susceptibility
  • CankerSome susceptibility
  • ScabSome susceptibility
  • Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 5 (-29C)
  • Summer maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
  • Country of originFrance
  • Fruit colorOrange / Red