Merton Prolific apple
An interesting cross between a cooker (Northern Greening) and a dessert apple (Cox's Orange Pippin).
Merton Prolific is one of the early results of research at the John Innes Institute, based in Merton, South London. It is based on the premise of crossing an excellent dessert apple - Cox's Orange Pippin - with a tried and tested cooker - Northern Greening. The result is not entirely successful, as the Northern Greening tends to dominate the mix - but this does mean that Merton Prolific is as its name suggests, a good cropper and it also keeps very well. The flavour can best be described as strong apple-like - which is no bad thing.
Summary
- Species: Malus domestica
- Parentage: Northern Greening and Cox's Orange Pippin
- Origin: London, England, United Kingdom
- Introduced: 1914
- Developed by: Morley Benjamin Crane, John Innes Institute, Merton
- Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 155500
Identification
- Fruit size: Small
Using
- Good for eating fresh
- Good for juice
- Flavour quality: Average
- Flavour style: Sharper
- Ripening period: Late season
- Use / keeping: 3 months or more
Growing
- Cropping: Heavy
- Flowering group: 3
- Fertility: Self-sterile
- Triploid: No
- Vigour: Average growth
- Gardening skill: Very easy
- Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
- General disease resistance: Good
Climate
- Suitable for temperate climates
- Tolerates cold winters
Relationships to other varieties
Parents and other ancestors of this variety:
- Cox's Orange Pippin (parent)
- Northern Greening (parent)
Merton Prolific identification photos from official fruit collections
Merton Prolific identification photos from website visitors
Fruit tree register
We don't have any registered trees for this variety yet.
Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.
Mature heights for Merton Prolific trees
This table shows the likely mature height for a Merton Prolific tree taking into account the vigor of the variety, the rootstock, and soil conditions.
| Rootstock | Soil quality | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poor | Below average | Average | Above average | Very good | |
| P22 | 2.5 ft 0.8 m |
3.1 ft 0.9 m |
3.7 ft 1.1 m |
4.3 ft 1.3 m |
4.9 ft 1.5 m |
| M27 | 2.8 ft 0.9 m |
3.5 ft 1.1 m |
4.2 ft 1.3 m |
4.9 ft 1.5 m |
5.6 ft 1.7 m |
| M9 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Bud.9 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Geneva 16 | 4.2 ft 1.3 m |
5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
| Geneva 11 | 4.9 ft 1.5 m |
6.1 ft 1.9 m |
7.4 ft 2.3 m |
8.6 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
| M26 | 5.3 ft 1.6 m |
6.6 ft 2.0 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.2 ft 2.8 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
| Geneva 30 | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.2 ft 3.4 m |
| MM102 | 5.6 ft 1.7 m |
7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.4 ft 2.6 m |
9.8 ft 3.0 m |
11.2 ft 3.4 m |
| M7 | 6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
11.0 ft 3.4 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| M116 | 6.3 ft 1.9 m |
7.9 ft 2.4 m |
9.5 ft 2.9 m |
11.0 ft 3.4 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
| MM106 | 7.0 ft 2.1 m |
8.8 ft 2.7 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.3 ft 3.8 m |
14.0 ft 4.3 m |
| MM111 | 8.4 ft 2.6 m |
10.5 ft 3.2 m |
12.6 ft 3.9 m |
14.7 ft 4.5 m |
16.8 ft 5.2 m |
| Bud.118 | 9.1 ft 2.8 m |
11.4 ft 3.5 m |
13.7 ft 4.2 m |
15.9 ft 4.9 m |
18.2 ft 5.6 m |
| M25 | 10.5 ft 3.2 m |
13.1 ft 4.0 m |
15.8 ft 4.8 m |
18.4 ft 5.6 m |
21.0 ft 6.4 m |
From an idea by N. Buck - more details.
Where to buy apples
No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.
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