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

Lady Apple apple

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Lady is an old French variety, which remains popular in Europe and North America.  The fruits are small but with a good aromatic flavor.  

Lady Apple is also widely known (particularly in Europe) as Api, after the Forest of Api in Bretagne in western France where it is thought to have been discovered.  Some believe this is the same variety as an apple known in Roman times as Appia, but modern authorities question this.  However it is certainly a very old variety.

Throughout its history this variety has been used for decoration and adornment.  It was popularly used by ladies to mask unpleasant odours.



Lady Apple identification photos

UK National Fruit Collection
UK National Fruit Collection
©Crown Copyright more >

  • Lady Apple
    Copyright: Orange Pippin

  • Lady Apple
    Copyright: Orange Pippin

Visitor reviews

  • 19 Sep 2018  Cathy Szramka,  NY, United States
    We have several old apple trees on our property we purchased and noticed this apple fragrant small almost white with red swipes best apple i have ever eaten must save this old beauty
  • 05 Oct 2016  Dave Liezen,  WASHINGTON, United States
    Bought a bag full of these last year - second time in my life - and kept 'em until Christmas. Imagine my surprise to find almond dominating the aroma! Still hard, juicy and...not enough of them. Got to get this growing nearer to home!
  • 12 Nov 2015  Carter Wilkie,  MASSACHUSETTS, United States
    Lip smacking candy sweetness in every tiny crunchy bite. Like Pixie Crunch, these small apples will be a hit in lunchboxes for young school children.
  • 31 Jan 2014  Jay,  CO, United States
    Freshly picked or fresh out of the box, these apples are amazing. They have a candy-like sweetness that tastes almost floral at times. Great fresh eating apple. The flesh will go soft fairly fast (especially if purchased after they have been shipped all the way from Washington), so eat them quickly! One of my favorite apples I can find in natural foods stores here in CO.
  • 30 Mar 2012  Bill Snotherly,  NORTH CAROLINA, United States
    Tiny Lady apple are indeed juicy and sweet flavored apple. However, as noted in some apple catalogs, the peel has more flavor than the apple. Lady apples do well on dwarf stock for container orchardists.
  • 23 Oct 2011  Matt,  WISCONSIN, United States
    These tiny apples have a great chewy bite and are loaded with juice and sweet flavor. A truly great little snack!
  • 18 Oct 2011  Steve Dixon,  CARDIFF, United States
    A work colleague picked this variety up from a friend's house in Monmouth and he was amazed by the flavour!

Tree register

United States

United Kingdom

Canada

India

Spring blossom records for this variety

2016 season

  • 15th May  2016  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States

2015 season

  • 10th May  2015  - tree owned by Brian in Green Bay, United States

2013 season

  • May  2013  - tree owned by Mrs Che in Bingley, United Kingdom

2012 season

  • April  2012  - tree owned by Mrs Che in Bingley, United Kingdom

2011 season

  • 23rd April  2011  - tree owned by Mrs Che in Bingley, United Kingdom

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


Harvest records for this variety

2012 season

  • 4th week October  2012  - tree owned by Dan in Camano Island, United States

Origins

  • Species: Malus domestica
  • Originates from: Bretagne, France
  • Introduced: 1628
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 1769
  • UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1982-288

Identification

  • Flesh colour: White
  • Fruit size: Small
  • Fruit size: Very small
  • Fruit shape: Flat
  • Fruit shape: Flat-round
  • Fruit shape: Short-round-conical
  • Fruit shape: Round
  • Fruit shape: Round-conical

Using

  • Uses: Eat fresh
  • Uses: Cooking
  • Uses: Juice
  • Uses: Hard cider
  • Uses: Drying
  • Flavour quality: Very good
  • Flavour quality: Good
  • Flavour style: Sweeter
  • Flavour style: Aromatic
  • Harvest period: Late season
  • Use / keeping: 1-2 months

Growing

  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Flowering period: Mid season
  • Flowering group: 3
  • Fertility: Self-sterile
  • Ploidy: Diploid
  • Vigour: Slightly small
  • Bearing regularity: Biennial tendency
  • Gardening skill: Average
  • Precocity: Slow to start bearing
  • Fruit bearing: Spur-bearer
  • Attractive features: Attractive fruit
  • General disease resistance: Average
  • Period of origin: 1600 - 1649

Also known as

  • Api
  • Christmas Apple

Diseases

  • Scab  - Some susceptibility


Where to buy fresh fruit

United States


Canada




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