How to choose and plant an apple tree

Tree planting is one of the most life affirming and positive steps you can take for the future. What better tree to plant than an apple? Delicious fruit for years to come and pretty blossom in springtime too.

Whether you want a tree for children to climb in or a potted patio specimen, apples can provide. They are easy to grow in any size of garden, and the incredible range of varieties (cultivars), different pruning techniques and rootstocks make them the most versatile fruit out there. But how do you find the right one? 

5 things to think about when choosing your apple tree

Given space, apples make beautiful trees

Luckily there's room for an apple in even the tiniest garden

2. In the kitchen – do you want a dessert (eating) or culinary (cooking) apple? The majority of apple cultivars are either dessert or culinary, although some are dual-purpose. In RHS publications and the Plant Finder, apple cultivars are labelled (D) for dessert and (C) for culinary.

There are many fascinating local and heritage varieties to choose from

Gardeners often use the word variety when referring to a specific plant, but the correct botanical term is 'cultivar'. Whichever word you use, it means a distinctive plant or plants, given a specific cultivar name and usually bred to enhance certain characteristics, such as flower or fruit size, colour, flavour or fragrance, plant size, hardiness, disease resistance, etc. Additionally, it is worth knowing that, botanically, variety has another meaning - it refers to a naturally-occurring distinct plant that only has slight differences in its looks. For example, Malva alcea var. fastigiata differs from typical plants by having an upright habit.

cultivar

4. Disease resistance is another consideration which varies between cultivars, with modern types often having higher levels of resistance than traditional ones.

Apple trees look beautiful in bloom – bees love them too!

5.

The transfer of pollen grains from a male anther to a female stigma, either within the same flower or between two different flowers. It’s usually followed by fertilisation and seed production. Some flowers are pollinated by insects or other small creatures, others are wind pollinated. It’s also possible to pollinate flowers by hand, if you want to breed new plants or ensure successful pollination when there are few natural pollinators.

Pollination group:

Discover the best apples

See a full list of Award of Garden Merit winning apple cultivars

Adobe PDF 166 kB

See a full list of Award of Garden Merit winning apple cultivars

RHS guide to growing apple trees

Read our handy guide with six simple steps to successfully grow your own apples. Including a selection of pollination-compatible RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) winning cultivars.

More apple-growing advice from the RHS

Apple tree problems: frequently asked questions

Apple tree problems: frequently asked questions

Apples and pears: pruning made easy

Apples and pears: pruning made easy

Apples: choosing cultivars

Apples: choosing cultivars