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Greensleeves apple

Greensleeves

This apple can be picked in mid-September but will happily stay on the tree into October so you can eat it fresh from the tree for at least a month. This, along with its good cropping, make it a really excellent variety to grow in the garden.

In theory Greensleeves marries the sweet flavour of its Golden Delicious parent balanced by the acidity of its other parent, James Grieve. It can be hard and sharp early in the season but mellows later, but it never quite achieves what the parentage suggests it should.

As the photo shows, Greensleeves is actually a lovely golden yellow colour if you leave it on the tree into October.

Greensleeves apple identification images

All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.

  • Greensleeves
  • Greensleeves

USDA identification images for Greensleeves

The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.

    Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.

    Parents and other ancestors of this variety


    Offspring of this variety


    See also

    • Redsleeves - Redsleeves and Greensleeves were both developed at East Malling Research station (although not related).

    Visitor reviews

    • 25 Sep 2015  HEREFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
      Grew this as a " step over". Magnificent in blossom and excellent fruit set, requiring heavy thinning in June/July. Many fruits split in July ( possible consequence of dry months followed by heavy rain, although other varieties nearby have not split). Many of fruits have blemished skins. Still not really ripe last week in September. Rather disappointed by performance of this variety so far, especially as this county is one of best in UK for growing apples.
    • 03 Oct 2010  OXON, United Kingdom
      I was looking to buy a new eating apple for the garden and tasted several varieties at the garden centre. I would not have thought of this variety but one taste and I was hooked! A lovely firm apple that is sweet but with a hint of sharpness. I await the fruit from my own tree with eager anticipation.
    • 12 Oct 2008  LERRYN,LOSTWITHIEL,CORNWALL, United Kingdom
      Today 12/10/08 my two boys Matthew and Jack (8 and 4) tasted three varieties in Jacks Orchard (i Planted 34 trees in 2003 to mark Jacks birth ) Discovery, Ashmeads Kernal and Greensleeves and we all voted this apple the best - Sweet juicy and crisp- a real winner. The boys take a real interest in their apples and are lovely to watch tasting - some got spat out as too sour but this was a real winner for them. hope this is of use to you if you have children.
    • 30 Sep 2008  LONDON, United Kingdom
      A friend gives me several pounds of Greensleeves each year from his garden, and I find they go golden beutifully in the fruit bowl. To my taste they fully live up to their parentage, in texture, juice and flavour, provided you find mellow varieties satisfying. It isn't sensational, but it is luscious, exceptionally pleasant and has most of what's missing from Golden Delicious. It's hardly worth bothering to take the small core out, as there's nothing woody there.

    Tree register

    United States

    United Kingdom

    Ireland

    Spring blossom records for this variety

    2022 season

    • 25th April  2022  - tree owned by James in Glynn,, Ireland

    2018 season

    • 26th April  2018  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2016 season

    • 11th May  2016  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 7th May  2016  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2015 season

    • 4th May  2015  - tree owned by Jon in Brigg, United Kingdom
    • 4th May  2015  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom
    • 1st May  2015  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2014 season

    • 27th April  2014  - tree owned by Steve in Steeple Claydon, United Kingdom
    • 25th April  2014  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2013 season

    • 21st May  2013  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 11th May  2013  - tree owned by Steve in Steeple Claydon, United Kingdom
    • 11th May  2013  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2012 season

    • 9th May  2012  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2011 season

    • 15th April  2011  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2010 season

    • 5th May  2010  - tree owned by Elizabeth in Evesham, United Kingdom
    • 2nd May  2010  - tree owned by Stuart in Newbury, United Kingdom

    Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.


    Harvest records for this variety

    2015 season

    • 1st week October  2015  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • September  2015  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2014 season

    • 1st week October  2014  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week September  2014  - tree owned by Paul in Southport, United Kingdom

    2013 season

    • October  2013  - tree owned by John in Congleton, United Kingdom

    2012 season

    • 4th week September  2012  - tree owned by Dan in Camano Island, United States
    • 2nd week September  2012  - tree owned by Colin in London, United Kingdom
    • 2nd week September  2012  - tree owned by Andrew in St Saviour, United Kingdom

    2010 season

    • 3rd week September  2010  - tree owned by Bluemarlin in Burnley, United Kingdom

    Origins

    • Species: Malus domestica - Apple
    • Parentage: Golden Delicious and James Grieve
    • Originates from: Kent, England, United Kingdom
    • Introduced: 1966
    • Developed by: East Malling Research Station
    • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1980-077
    • Some historical details taken with kind permission from 'The New Book of Apples' by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards , illustrated by Elisabeth Dowle, published by Ebury Press, 2002.

    Identification

    • Awards: RHS AGM (current)
    • Country of origin: United Kingdom
    • Period of origin: 1950 - 1999
    • Fruit colour: Green
    • Flower colour: White
    • Leaf colour: Green
    • Popularity: Best sellers
    • Annual cycle: Deciduous

    Using

    • Picking season: Mid
    • Keeping (of fruit): 1 week
    • Flavour quality: Average
    • Flavour style (apples): Sweet/Sharp
    • Discoloration of fruit: Oxidising
    • Cropping: Heavy
    • Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
    • Food uses: Eating fresh
    • Food uses: Juice
    • Picking period: mid-September
    • Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators

    Growing

    • Gardening skill: Beginner
    • Flowering group: 2
    • Pollinating others: Good
    • Pollinating others: Average
    • Vigour: Average vigour
    • Precocity: Precocious
    • Bearing regularity: Regular
    • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
    • Organic culture: Suitable
    • Attractive features: Attractive flowers
    • Attractive features: Attractive fruit
    • Self-fertility: Partially self-fertile

    Climate

    • Frost resistance of blossom: Good resistance
    • Climate suitability: Temperate climates
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
    • Cold hardiness (RHS): H6 (to -20C)
    • Summer average maximum temperatures: Cold (< 20C / 67F)

    Other qualities

    • Disease resistance: Good

    Where to buy trees

    The following tree nurseries offer Greensleeves apple trees for sale:


    Where to buy fresh fruit

    The following orchards grow Greensleeves:

    United States

    • Washington

      • Skipley Farm, Snohomish        *** Feature Orchard ***

    United Kingdom


    Canada




    References

    • Fruit Expert
      Author: Hessayon

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