Cordon Apple Tree
Lots of fruit in a limited space
Grown by Mike
Roots' Cotswolds Valley Nursery
Choose your variety
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Pre-order for delivery by Late November
Pre-order for delivery by Late November
Pre-order for delivery by Late November
Pre-order for delivery by Late November
Pre-order for delivery by Late November
Pre-order for delivery by Late November
Currently out of stock
Plant diary
- Flower
- Harvest
Cordon Apple Tree
- Cordon apple trees provide an ingenious space-saving solution, enabling you to plant several fruit trees where you might otherwise have only had room for one standard tree. These trees normally consist of a columnar, upright central leader and short, lateral, fruiting spurs, though they can also be grown at a 45° angle on a wire support
- ‘James Grieve’ is an RHS award-winning, dual-purpose variety that start out sharp before sweetening up the longer they’re left on the tree
- ‘Bramley’s Seedling’ arguably produces the nation’s favourite cooking apples, just whack them into a crumble, strudel or pie and get ready for baked perfection…
- ‘Braeburn Hillwell’ yields delicious red apples and has the benefit of being self-fertile, meaning it doesn’t need a pollination partner
- ‘Cox’s Orange Pippin’ apples are often found in the supermarket, but they taste infinitely better when you grow them at home – juice them, bake with them or scarf one down straight from the tree
- ‘Gala’ is one of the easiest apple varieties to grow, producing crisp and refreshing fruit that look as good as they taste!
- ‘Discovery’ boasts good pest and disease resistance, and yields gloriously tasty dessert apples that store very well (for more than two months)
- Our growers have established the proper cordon shape for you, so you just need to prune your tree to keep its shape. Pruning is needed in summer with occasional winter pruning also required. Here’s what to do:
- At the end of August, trim those shoots that are over 20cm long, aiming to cut back to one leaf beyond the leaf cluster that marks the start of that year’s growth (also known as the basal cluster)
- If you find that your cordon tree’s spurs are becoming overly busy, then thin out those spurs which are a bit older and haven’t fruited as well in recent times (do this in winter)
What to expect
Supplied as
Height on arrival
Eventual height
Eventual spread
Time to first crop
Flower colour
Habit
Hardiness
Self fertile
Pollination group
Uses
Rootstock
Spacing
Will this grow in my garden?
Can I grow this in a pot?
Yes, a cordon apple tree can be successfully cultivated in a large pot of around 50 litres, provided it is supported by a bamboo cane or tied to a sunny wall.
How big does it get?
The cordon apple tree typically reaches a height of 1.8 to 2.5 metres, with a narrow spread of about 0.5 to 0.9 metres.
How much sunlight does this need?
The cordon apple tree needs a sunny location, ideally receiving 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight each day to encourage optimal fruiting.
What kind of soil does this plant prefer?
The cordon apple tree prefers a well-drained, loamy soil enriched with well-rotted organic matter, ideally with a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.8.
How much watering does this plant need?
The cordon apple tree needs consistent watering of roughly 10 to 15 litres per week, particularly during dry spells to support healthy fruit development.
Will this plant need pruning?
Yes, the cordon apple tree requires pruning in late summer to maintain its restricted form and encourage fruiting spurs. Regular pruning is essential to preserve the trained shape.
How hardy is this plant?
Apple trees are fully hardy to H6, tolerating temperatures down to -20°C, and will reliably survive winter conditions throughout the entirety of the UK.
The wider garden
Roots' Cotswolds Valley Nursery
Meet Mike
Tree-growing skills honed right across the globe
Having started out in Australia, studied in Northern Ireland and volunteered at an organic farm in Sweden, it’s fair to say Mike’s done his fair share of travel on his horticultural journey, so far! Having happily laid down roots here at Roots, Mike is the don behind our tree-growing operation, imparting each and every one of his globally-honed skills to benefit your garden. Grown in our purpose-built nursery, in the ideal climatic conditions of the fertile Vale of Evesham, we’re proud to supply only the happiest, healthiest and hardiest trees.
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