Top 5 unusual fruit trees
These fruit trees are not widely-grown. They have unusual flavours and other qualities which perhaps only appeal to a minority, and which you don't usually find in mainstream orchards. However if you already have a productive orchard and are looking for something a bit different they are worth a try.
1st Crab apple trees - Roberts Red
Roberts Red or Roberts Crab is an unusual purple crab-apple with a red-flesh.
The apples have a sharp acidic flavour and are not particularly palatable for eating fresh. However the anthocyan pigmentation in the skin and flesh is believed to have anti-oxidant properties.
Roberts Red is useful for cooking and the pressed apples produce a claret red juice.
Buy Roberts Red crab apple trees here2nd Inter-specific trees - Aprimira
Aprimira is an unusual cross between a mirabelle and an apricot. The result is a tree which in most respects is a mirabelle, but with the benefit of much larger fruit size.
The pretty fruits are ripe in August, and have a sweet flavour. They can be eaten fresh or used in the kitchen as an alternative to mirabelles - they are particularly suitable for tarts and jams.
Buy Aprimira hybrid fruit trees here3rd Medlar trees - Nottingham
Medlars are a strange fruit, mainly used in the kitchen. The fruits resemble small russeted apples and have a rich luscious flavour and texture when cooked, ideal for preserves.
Medlars are easy to grow, generally disease-free and and reliably self-fertile so you only need to plant one tree.
As well as the interesting fruits the spring blossom is particularly attractive on account of the large flowers. The leaves often take on autumnal colours before leaf fall too,
Buy Nottingham medlar trees here4th Almond trees - Ingrid
If you live in a drier part of the UK and can provide a warm sunny spot, why not consider an almond tree?
Almonds are closely related to peaches, and as with peaches the spring blossom is particularly attractive.
Ingrid is self-fertile so you only need to plant one tree.
Cropping is light but you should still be able to enjoy healthy fresh home-grown almonds in late summer.
Buy Ingrid almond trees here5th Inter-specific trees - Shipova
It may seem surprising but pear trees and rowan trees are actually distantly related, and Shipover is a natural hybrid between the two species.
The tree looks very much like a rowan, with typical rowan-like flower clusters in late spring. However in the autumn, instead of rowan berries it produces cascades of small pear-like fruits which can be eaten fresh or cooked.
Buy Shipova hybrid fruit trees here
