Malus domestica 'Winter Gem' (D)
apple 'Winter Gem'
A late-season dessert apple with crisp flesh and a rich, aromatic flavour. The fruit is greenish-yellow flushed and striped with red, ripening in mid-autumn and storing to mid-spring. It is self-sterile, in pollination group 3, and can be shy to crop
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Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
4–8 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Pink White | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green | Green Red Yellow | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Prefers a deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral soil in a sheltered, sunny position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. May require fruit thinning to improve fruit size and quality. See apple cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by grafting in midwinter or budding in late summer. Fruit grown from pips will not resemble the parent
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Patio and container plants
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Prune according to chosen training method, often twice a year; see apple pruning
Pests
May be susceptible to aphids, including woolly aphid and rosy apple aphid, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth and other caterpillars
Diseases
May be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews
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