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Dwarfing trees
Dwarfing trees
Trees on a dwarfing rootstock are an excellent choice for those wishing to grow fruit trees in smaller spaces. See our rootstock advice page for a more detailed explanation.
Jump to:
Apples: bare root | Apples: potted | Pears | Cherries | Plums
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Below are the rootstocks that can be considered to produce dwarfing trees and the approximate ultimate height of the tree.
Apple: M27 = very dwarfing (2m height); M9 = dwarfing (2-3m height), M26 = semi-dwarfing (3-3.5m height)
Pear: Quince C (2-3m)
Cherry: Gisela 5 (2-3m)
Plum: We don’t stock plums on very dwarfing rootstocks. They are on rootstock St Julien A, a reliable rootstock producing moderately vigorous trees 3-3.5m in height.
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It is recommended to stake dwarfing trees throughout their lives as they are more easily uprooted by wind. If you are collecting in Leeds, you can add 5ft hazel stakes to your order.
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If you are training your fruit tree (e.g. as a cordon or espalier), you do not necessarily need a tree on a dwarfing rootstock.
There are different schools of thought, and any rootstock will work, but a more vigorous rootstock (such as MM106 for apples) can actually be beneficial as the trees are more strongly rooted in the ground and more stable.
You will need a ‘maiden’ (a young 1-year-old tree with a single stem) in order to train the tree. These are listed as ‘Small’ on our website.
Apples: bare root
A small, sweet apple which is a favourite with children due to its size. The colour is a deep red, almost purple.
Type: Dessert
Season: October
Pollination: Self-fertile. Pollination group C
One of the best early season apple varieties. Produces reliable crops of attractive red fruit that is particularly good for juicing.
Type: Dessert
Season: September
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
Easy to grow, heavy and regular crops. Honeyed and very sweet when left on the tree to ripen. Fruit stores well, and is versatile - can be used for cooking and eating.
Type: Dessert
Season: November - February
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Group 4
Medium sized apple, good balance between sweetness and sharpness. Flavour and soft flesh are reminiscent of a firm pear. Easy to grow. Perfect for juicing and tarts. Excellent pollinator for ‘Cox’ and ‘Braeburn‘ varieties.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-January
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Pollination group B
*indicates a tree that has been grown at another nursery and is for resale
A flavoursome, well-balanced russeted apple that is easy to grow and store.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-April
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
Easy to grow early variety. Crisp and juicy red apple with hints of strawberry. Best eaten straight from the tree.
Type: Dessert
Season: August-September
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
*indicates a tree grown at another nursery for resale.
Similar to Cox's Orange Pippin but self-fertile. Aromatic, juicy, crisp apples for harvesting late September to October.
Type: Dessert
Season: September-November
Pollination: Self-fertile. Pollination group C
The definitive English cooking apple. This vigorous tree produces large, flat fruit with a vivid green skin and acidic white flesh that cooks down to a smooth puree. Stores well.
Type: Culinary
Season: October-March
Pollination: Self-sterile. Triploid (can’t pollinate others). Pollination group D
*indicates a tree grown at another nursery for resale.
A popular dual-purpose variety. A vigorous and hardy tree that produces an abundance of distinctive nutty flavoured fruit.
Type: Dessert/Culinary
Season: September-November
Pollination: Self-sterile. Triploid (can’t pollinate others). Pollination group D
A late season dual-purpose variety with a strong, rich aromatic flavour. The blossom and fruit are both very attractive.
Type: Dessert/Culinary
Season: October-March
Pollination: Self-sterile, pollination group D
An exceptionally large and attractive culinary apple that is quite sweet and keeps its shape when cooked. Vigorous grower and heavy cropper.
Type: Culinary
Season: Oct-Mar
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Pollination group C
A redder variation descended from Ellison's Orange. Produces richly-coloured fruit that are very juicy with a distinctive aromatic flavour.
Type: Dessert
Season: Sep-Oct
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Pollination group D
Apples: potted
Late-season Sheffield eating apple. A heavy, reliable cropper with crisp, juicy and sweet fruits that can hang on the tree into the new year.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-January
Pollination: Unknown
A good cooking apple, round-conical in shape. Keeps some of its shape when cooked and suitable for growing in northern Britain.
Type: Culinary
Season: October-December
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Pollination group D
A modern, disease-resistant variety with a refreshing sharp flavour. Medium-sized apples with red-flushed skin and crisp, cream-coloured flesh.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-January
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group D
A small, sweet apple which is a favourite with children due to its size. The colour is a deep red, almost purple.
Type: Dessert
Season: October
Pollination: Self-fertile. Pollination group C
A classic English russet variety. The fruit are juicy and crisp with a strong sharp flavour and store well.
Type: Dessert
Season: December-March
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
Easy to grow mid-season dessert apple that is disease resistant and stores well. The fruit are yellow-green and deliciously crisp, sharp and refreshing.
Type: Dessert
Season: September-November
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group D
A valuable old variety, very distinctive. Sweet enough for dessert, yet maintains an underlying acidity which makes it very satisfying to eat.
Type: Desert/ Culinary / Juicing
Season: October - December
Pollination: Self Sterlie
One of the best early season apple varieties. Produces reliable crops of attractive red fruit that is particularly good for juicing.
Type: Dessert
Season: September
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
A very large red-flushed eating apple with a superb flavour that is similar to Cox. The tree grows vigorously and produces a reliable heavy crop.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-January
Pollination: Self-sterile. Triploid (can’t pollinate others). Pollination group D
Easy to grow, heavy and regular crops. Honeyed and very sweet when left on the tree to ripen. Fruit stores well, and is versatile - can be used for cooking and eating.
Type: Dessert
Season: November - February
Pollination: Group 4
Exceptionally flavoursome orange-flushed dessert apple. Very juicy, with soft flesh almost like a pear. Fruit develops a hint of aniseed flavour when very ripe.
Type: Dessert
Season: September-October
Pollination: Self-fertile. Pollination group D
A flavoursome, well-balanced russeted apple that is easy to grow and store.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-April
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
Easy to grow early variety. Crisp and juicy red apple with hints of strawberry. Best eaten straight from the tree.
Type: Dessert
Season: August-September
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
A very old variety of apple with an unusual shape, as suggested by the name. A cooking apple, it is juicy with a sharp flavour and cooks down to a puree.
Type: Culinary
Season: October-January
Pollination: Self-sterile triploid (can't pollinate others). Pollination group C.
The definitive English cooking apple. This vigorous tree produces large, flat fruit with a vivid green skin and acidic white flesh that cooks down to a smooth puree. Stores well.
Type: Culinary
Season: October-March
Pollination: Self-sterile. Triploid (can’t pollinate others). Pollination group D
A mid-season, heavy-cropping culinary apple with a light, sweet, juicy flavour.
Type: Culinary
Season: September-November
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
A very tasty dessert pear with a hint of rose flavour and juicy, melt-in-the-mouth flesh. Well suited to northern climates.
Type: Dessert
Season: October
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group B
An ancient apple variety known for its small, sweet, dark red flush fruit and beautiful white flowers. Heavy cropping and can be stored until April.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-April
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
An old American variety producing sweet, juicy dessert apples with a hint of vanilla flavour.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-December
Pollination: Partially self-fertile. Pollination group C
An excellent dual-purpose variety that is also good in cider. Pale yellow skin with a red flush. Strong flavour with a hint of pineapple. Stores well.
Type: Dessert/Culinary/Cider
Season: October-April
Pollination: Self-fertile. Pollination group C
Pears
A very tasty dessert pear with a hint of rose flavour and juicy, melt-in-the-mouth flesh. Well suited to northern climates.
Type: Dessert
Season: October
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group B
Considered one of the finest dessert pears. The large fruit are pale yellow with a rosy flush when ripe. The flesh is rich, juicy and buttery.
Type: Dessert
Season: November-December
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group C
*indicates trees that have been grown elsewhere at are being resold
A very tasty dessert pear with a hint of rose flavour and juicy, melt-in-the-mouth flesh. Well suited to northern climates.
Type: Dessert
Season: October
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group B
Cherries
One of the most popular varieties, self-fertile and cropping heavily with dark red, juicy, sweet cherries.
Season: Late July
Pollination: Self-fertile. Pollination group D.
A late-cropping variety producing large, firm fruits that are dark in colour and mild but delicious in flavour.
Season: August
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group D.
Plums
Our plum trees are grown on the rootstock St Julien A, which is moderately vigorous, producing trees up to 3-3.5m in height. So it can’t be said that these are dwarfing trees, though it is the most widely used rootstock and very reliable. These trees can also be trained.
Fruit trees by type
A modern, disease-resistant variety with a refreshing sharp flavour. Medium-sized apples with red-flushed skin and crisp, cream-coloured flesh.
Type: Dessert
Season: October-January
Pollination: Self-sterile. Pollination group D