Ballerina Samba® apple trees

• Picking season: Late
• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Flowering group: 3

Samba is a recent Ballerina-style apple, derived from Flamenco, but crossed with the popular Falstaff apple variety.

Like all Ballerina varieties, Samba grows in a compact vertical or fastigiate fashion. However it is unusual amongst Ballerina varieties in that it also produces strong side-shoots, although these extend only a short distance before turning sharply vertical.

The flavour of Samba is amongst the best of these minarette varieties for eating fresh, and the apples can also be used for a crab-apple-style jelly.

Ballerina Samba apple trees for sale

Pot-grown

All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

• PG12-year 12L pot-grown tree MM106 rootstock£60.50
  Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
  Medium tree (2m-3m after 10 years)
  

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Bare-root

• BR11-year bare-root treeMM106 rootstock£34.95
  Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  

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Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts

Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Next deliveries

Order now for delivery from week commencing 24th February.

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Samba should reach a maximum height of about 3m / 10ft after 5 years or so - often a bit less. There is no need to stake the tree unless you have very sandy soil or a windy situation. It can also be grown in a large patio container.

After 5 years or so you can also thin out some of the fruiting spurs if they appear to be becoming congested, but try to avoid pruning (especially in winter) as pruning can spoil the columnar appearance.

When planting this variety as a 1-year bare-root tree, do not prune back the stem (contrary to what is suggested in our main planting instructions).

History

Samba is one of the most recent Ballerina-style apple varieties, developed at East Malling in Kent. It was introduced in 2008. The unusual minarette-like form is inherited from one of its ancestors, a natural genetic mutation of the well-known McIntosh apple variety, called Wijcik.

Whilst all these varieties have excellent ornamental impact, the flavour of the original McIntosh Wijcik was suitable only for cooking. Samba is a cross between the popular Flamenco Ballerina variety and Falstaff - and inherits the latter's productivity and good flavour. However it is the influence of Falstaff, particularly its tendency to produce lots of branches from a young age, which explains why Samba does not grow in the pole-like fashion common to other Ballerina varieties.

Ballerina Samba characteristics

British-grown trees

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden whilst it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund - subject to some conditions. Find out more.