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TreesFruit Edible

Malus domestica Amboise ('Delcogra') (C/D)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

apple [Amboise]

A dessert apple, often grown as a column or cordon, and also used for cooking. Fruit is medium sized, with green skin lightly flushed bronze on the sunny side, and tart white flesh. Ready to harvest in mid autumn, stores for up to three months in good conditions. Requires a group 2, 3 or 4 pollinator

Synonyms
Malus domestica 'Delcogra'
Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
1.5–2.5 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring White Green
Summer Green
Autumn Green Yellow Green Bronze
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
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

Trade

Horticultural Group
Apples suitable for culinary use have a tart flavour and are best cooked or made into a puree

How to grow

Cultivation

Thrives in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. Tree height will depend on the rootstock and training method. May require fruit thinning to improve fruit size and quality. See apple cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding in late summer, or grafting in mid-winter. Plants grown from pips are unlikely to resemble the parent

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Edible fruit
Pruning

Prune according to chosen training method. See apple pruning

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly aphid, apple sawfly, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth, apple leaf-mining 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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