WikiPlant
An apple tree laden with red apples in an orchard, with fallen fruit on the grass beneath

Apple tree

Malus domestica
Care level: Moderate

The apple is the most widely grown fruit tree of temperate climates: a deciduous tree with white, pink-flushed blossom in spring and fruit that ripens, depending on the variety, from late summer to late autumn. Every apple tree you buy is two plants joined together, a named variety grafted onto a rootstock that decides how big the tree will grow. That makes it possible to fit an apple into almost any garden, as a full-sized standard, a small bush, a row of cordons along a fence or a tree in a large pot. It needs sun, shelter and deep, moist, well-drained soil.

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Varieties and related species
Malus domestica 'Discovery'Malus domestica 'Egremont Russet'Malus domestica 'Bramley's Seedling'

Light

Full sun, in a sheltered position. It will not fruit well with shade for more than half the day.

Water

Water young trees and trees in pots regularly. Water established trees in dry spells while the fruit is swelling.

Humidity

Not a factor for this outdoor tree.

Soil

Deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil. It does poorly on very acid soil, shallow chalk and waterlogged ground.

Size

From 2m on a dwarfing rootstock to 8m or more on a vigorous one.

Growth speed

Medium

Hardiness

Hardy down to about -20°C. Source: RHS

Pet safety not confirmed

As a precaution, keep it out of reach of children and pets.

Did you know?

Choose the rootstock before the variety. The rootstock sets the final size of the tree: very dwarfing ones give a tree of under 2m for pots and cordons, semi-dwarfing ones a garden bush of 3-4m, vigorous ones a large orchard tree. The label names it, for example M27, M9, M26, MM106 or M25, from smallest to largest.

Spring

Blossom opens. Protect it from late frost where you can, mulch and feed.

Summer

Thin the fruit after the June drop. Water in dry weather and prune trained forms in late summer.

Autumn

Harvest: an apple is ripe when it parts easily with a lift and a twist. Clear fallen fruit and leaves.

Winter

Dormant. Plant new trees and prune free-standing ones.

Planting

Plant between late autumn and early spring, with the graft union well above soil level, in a sunny, sheltered spot out of frost pockets. Stake the tree; those on dwarfing rootstocks need a permanent stake.

Fertilising

Mulch with garden compost each spring and apply a balanced fertiliser. Keep a circle of about 1m around the trunk free of grass and weeds.

Pruning

Winter-prune bush and standard trees to an open, goblet shape. Summer-prune cordons, espaliers and fans. Never remove more than about a fifth of the canopy in one year.

Propagation

By grafting in midwinter or chip budding in late summer onto a rootstock. Trees raised from pips do not come true.

Common problems

Blossom but no fruit

Most likely cause: No pollination partner, or frost on the blossom.
What to do: Plant a compatible variety or a crab apple nearby and avoid frost pockets.

A heavy crop one year and none the next

Most likely cause: Biennial bearing after overcropping.
What to do: Thin the fruit hard in the heavy year.

Many small apples

Most likely cause: Too many fruits left on the tree.
What to do: Thin to one or two per cluster in early summer.

Brown, sunken spots in the flesh under the skin

Most likely cause: Bitter pit, linked to drought and irregular watering.
What to do: Water in dry spells and mulch.

Fruit rots on the tree with rings of pale pustules

Most likely cause: Brown rot.
What to do: Remove and bin all affected fruit, including dried ones left on the branches.

Strong upright shoots after pruning

Most likely cause: Pruning too hard in winter.
What to do: Prune less, and remove some of the upright shoots in late summer.

Pests & Diseases

Codling moth

Signs: A hole in the fruit plugged with brown droppings and a tunnel to the core, with a pinkish-white caterpillar inside.
Treatment: Hang pheromone traps from late spring and remove fallen and damaged fruit.

Aphids

Signs: Curled, sticky leaves at the shoot tips in spring; rosy apple aphid leaves small, distorted fruits, and woolly aphid forms white, fluffy colonies on the bark.
Treatment: Squash small colonies early, encourage predators and prune out badly affected shoots.

Apple scab

Signs: Dark, scabby spots on leaves and fruit; badly affected fruit cracks and leaves fall early.
Treatment: Rake up fallen leaves, prune for an open canopy and choose resistant varieties.

Apple canker

Signs: Sunken, cracked patches of dead bark, often around a bud or wound; the branch beyond dies.
Treatment: Cut out affected branches well back into healthy wood in dry weather and improve the drainage.

Powdery mildew

Signs: A white powdery coating on young shoots and leaves in spring, which are stunted and distorted.
Treatment: Prune out white shoots as they appear and in winter, mulch and water in dry spells.

Do I need two apple trees?

Usually, yes. Most apples do not set fruit with their own pollen and need a different variety flowering at the same time within bee range. A neighbour's tree or a crab apple does the job. A few varieties are partly self-fertile but still crop better with a partner.

When and how do I prune?

Prune free-standing trees in winter, while dormant: remove dead, diseased and crossing branches and keep the centre open to light and air. Trained forms such as cordons, espaliers and fans are pruned in late summer, shortening the new side shoots, which keeps them compact and fruitful.

How long until a new tree bears fruit?

Two to four years on a dwarfing rootstock, and five years or more on a vigorous one. Remove the blossom in the first year so that the tree puts its energy into roots.

Why does my tree drop small fruits in early summer?

That is the natural thinning known as the June drop. The tree sheds fruitlets it cannot carry. Afterwards, thin what remains to one or two fruits per cluster, about a hand's width apart, for larger, better apples and a crop every year.

Why are there maggots in my apples?

Codling moth caterpillars, which tunnel to the core and leave a hole plugged with brown droppings. Hang pheromone traps in late spring to catch the male moths and pick up and remove fallen fruit.

Can I grow an apple tree from a pip?

It will grow, but it will not resemble its parent, may take ten years to fruit and makes a large tree. For a known variety on a known rootstock, buy a grafted tree.

Can I grow an apple tree in a pot?

Yes, on a dwarfing rootstock, in a container of at least 45cm with loam-based compost. Water regularly, feed in spring and summer and repot or top-dress every year or two.

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