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Fruit EdibleTrees

Malus domestica 'Obelisk'PBR (D)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

apple 'Ballerina Flamenco'

A non-branching, columnar tree about 3m tall and 1m wide, producing flowers and fruit from short shoots all along the main trunk. Red-flushed, green apples have crisp, juicy, quite sharp flesh, cropping in mid-autumn and storing for a few weeks. Not self-fertile, in pollination group C

Synonyms
Malus domestica 'Flamenco'
Malus domestica 'Ballerina Flamenco'
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Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metres
Time to ultimate height
10–20 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Pink White Green
Summer Green
Autumn Green Green Red
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Rosaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Although generally edible when cooked, seeds contain toxins so these should be removed if you are considering eating the fruit, usually grown as an ornamental shrub. see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for further information and useful contact numbers
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 deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, neutral 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. Ideal for containers. 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
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Edible fruit
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Prune side shoots to two or three buds in summer

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, including rosy apple aphid and woolly 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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