Malus domestica 'Api' (D)
apple 'Api'
An historic (17th century) late-season dessert apple with crisp flesh and a sweet, fruity flavour. It is not very vigorous, and forms an upright, compact tree. Prolific pinkish-red flowers are followed by fruit somewhat flattened in shape, yellow flushed with red, ripening in mid-autumn and storing to mid-spring. It is self-sterile, pollination group 3, and can be slow to reach cropping age
Other common names
Lady Apple
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 Red | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green | Red Yellow | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Rosaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- 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. See apple cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by grafting in midwinter or chip budding in late summer on clonal rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will largely determine the vigour of the tree. Fruit grown from pips will not resemble the parent
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wall side borders
- Flower borders and beds
- Edible fruit
Pruning
Prune according to chosen training method. See apple pruning. Thin fruit in late spring or early summer to improve size and quality. See fruit thinning
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
Get involved
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