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Fruit EdibleTrees

Malus domestica 'James Grieve' (D)

apple 'James Grieve'

An early dessert cultivar in pollination group 3. Suitable for northerly, colder rainfall areas. Good, regular crops of apples, yellow-green speckled and striped orange-red, but can easily bruise. Can be used for cooking if picked early before ripe. Savoury, crisp to melting flesh; when cooked keeps shape, with juicy, delicate flavour. Season of use is from September to October, and longer

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical 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

It will crop best in a sunny situation. The height will depend on the rootstock and training method. Suitable for all training forms. Keep a clear area around the trunk of at least 60cm radius. Fruit thinning may be required. For more details see apple cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by chip budding or grafting onto a clonal rootstock for fruit. The rootstock used will largely determine the vigour of the tree

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Wall side borders
Edible fruit

Pruning

Regular pruning is required - see apple pruning; spur bearing

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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