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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Ellison's Orange Apple tree

Owner: N.

Location:  Cambridge, CAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom

Age:Planted in about
Rootstock:MM106
Soil:Shallow sandy-gravelly loam 
Climate at this location:Warm, dry, windy
Pruning:Yes
Tree form:Bush (wider at top than bottom)
Height:Up to 6ft / 2m
Cropping:Medium crops
Growth:This tree grows fairly well here
Herbicides:Un-treated
Pesticides:Un-treated
Local pests:Codling moth (maggots), wasps, earwigs

Owner's comments

2011: rootstock contracted crown/root rot; tree died. Upright growth. Poor resistance to pests - a favourite of codling maggots, lucky to get 1/3 of the apples in good condition (but at least it keeps the maggots away from my other apples) Average resistance to diseases. Needs annual surgery to remove cankers. Narrow branch angles seem to affect the durability of the bark - and this aggravates the tendency for canker. Upper half of canopy ruined by cankers during 2009 growing season and the entire top half of the bush has been removed during winter 2009-2010.

Season records for this tree

  • 2010

    Spring blossom: 27 April
  • 2009

    Spring blossom: 18 April