Tree
Apple
Malus domestica
A deciduous fruit tree with spring blossom and edible apples whose mature size varies greatly with rootstock, cultivar and training. Most cultivars crop best with a compatible apple flowering nearby, and full sun gives the best fruiting.
- Size
- 1.5–8 m high · 1.5–8 m wideVaries by cultivar
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Winter
- Very hardy
- Seasonal form
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Moderate
Before planting
- Check the rootstock before buying: it affects mature size and support needs. Some dwarfing rootstocks require a permanent stake or support.
- Check whether the cultivar is self-fertile and, if not, whether a compatible apple flowers nearby at the same time.
Why choose it
- Spring blossom is followed by edible fruit, combining ornamental and productive value.
- Dwarfing rootstocks and trained forms can fit apples into relatively small gardens.
Care
- Water newly planted trees and during prolonged drought, especially while fruit is swelling.
- Prune according to the chosen training form and fruiting habit; avoid treating every apple tree with the same pruning routine.
Good to know
- Triploid cultivars produce mainly sterile pollen and are poor pollinizers for other apples; check the partners needed for all trees rather than assuming any two cultivars will suffice.